Arafat strips rebel faction of support in E. Lebanon

PLO leader Yasser Arafat cut off food, fuel, and pay to rebel Palestinian troops in eastern Lebanon, a senior Arafat aide said. Five Fatah officers and an undetermined number of fighters in Lebanon's Bekaa Valley have led a quiet two-week revolt against Mr. Arafat's leadership of the Palestinian Liberation Organization, calling for a tougher line against Israel.

According to Arafat, they are receiving support from Libya and Abu Nidal, leader of a breakaway PLO faction. He blamed Libyan leader Col. Muammar Qaddafi for sparking the revolt and said Nidal - a sworn enemy of Arafat and an opponent of making concessions to Israel - sent 55 members of his breakaway guerrilla group to join the renegades.