Begin urges unity in face of potential Syrian threat

June 2, 1983

In a surprise speech before Israel's parliament, Prime Minister Menachem Begin called for national unity to face a potential Syrian threat. Mr. Begin is under severe criticism for his conduct of Israel's war in Lebanon.

But Syrian President Hafez Assad vowed during an unscheduled visit to Libya to ''destroy'' Israel's troop withdrawal accord, the Libyan news agency Jana said.

Meanwhile, in the latest attack against Israeli forces in Lebanon, gunmen ambushed an Israeli patrol on a road south of Beirut but inflicted no casualties.