Israeli–Lebanese conflict
| Israel-Lebanon conflict | |||||||
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| Part of the Arab-Israeli conflict | |||||||
 Map of the conflict as of 14-7-2006. | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
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 Israel, | ||||||
Israel-Lebanon conflict has been ongoing from the time of Israel's founding to the present day, primarily involving Israel and various non-state militias in Lebanon.
1948 Arab-Israeli war and aftermath, Operation Litani (1948–1982)
After the 1948 Arab-Israeli war, 711,000 Palestinians, half of the Arab population of Palestine at the time, fled, emigrated or were forced out of Israel and entered neighboring countries, including Lebanon.
After the 1967 Six-Day War, 300,000 Palestinians from the West Bank fled to Jordan, leading to a dramatic increase in its refugee population of 700,000. Following the 1970 Black September in Jordan, over 110,000 Palestinian refugees migrated from Jordan to Lebanon.[1] By 1975, they numbered more than 300,000, creating an informal state-within-a-state in southern Lebanon. The PLO became a powerful force and played an important role in the Lebanese Civil War.
On 14 March 1978 Israel launched Operation Litani and invaded southern Lebanon in response to the Coastal Road massacre. As a result, the UNSC passed Resolutions 425 and 426, which called for Israel's immediate withdrawal and the establishment of UNIFIL.[2]
1982 Lebanon war, Israeli occupation (1982–1985)
Israel invaded again in the 1982 Lebanon War, as a response to the assassination attempt against Israel's UK ambassador Shlomo Argov by the Abu Nidal Organization. During the conflict, 14,000 Lebanese and Palestinians were killed, and the Israeli army seiged Beirut. PLO leader Yassir Arafat retreated from Beirut on 30 August 1982 and settled in Tunisia. After Lebanese president-elect Bachir Gemayel was assassinated on 14 September 1982, Israel reoccupied West Beirut and Maronite militias carried out the Sabra and Shatila massacre. While the country was still under Israeli and Syrian occupations, the US-brokered May 17 Agreement was ratified by the Lebanese parliament in 1983, but not implemented. On 15 January 1985, Israel adopted a phased withdrawal plan, maintaining an area of 850 square kilometres in a 4–6 kilometre (2.5–3.75 mi) deep[3] strip of land, described by Israel as a "security zone" to defend its northern towns. The border at this time was nicknamed the Good Fence.
Foundation of Hezbollah, Operation Accountability, Operation Grapes of Wrath (1985–1998)
On 16 February 1985 Iranian Revolutionary Guards formed Hezbollah in Lebanon, primarily to combat the Israeli occupation. On 25 July 1993 Israel launched Operation Accountability, in retaliation of attacks and the killing of five soldiers in the security zone. Thousands of buildings were bombed, resulting in 120 dead and 300,000 displaced civilians. Israeli forces also destroyed infrastructure such as power stations and bridges. Hezbollah retaliated with rocket attacks on Israeli villages, though inflicted significantly fewer casualties.
On 11 April 1996 Israel initiated Operation Grapes of Wrath, subsequent to an escalation after the killing of two Lebanese by an IDF missile. Israel conducted massive air raids and extensive shelling in southern Lebanon. 118 Lebanese died in the Qana Massacre, when a UN compound was shelled by Israel.
From 1985 through 2000, Israel allegedly helped fund the notorious Khiam detention center, which was run by the South Lebanon Army in Israeli occupied Lebanon.
Israeli withdrawal, Assassinations, Border clashes (1998–June 2006)
Following its declaration of intent to implement UNSC Resolutions 425 and 426 on 1 April 1998, Israel completed its withdrawal on 24 May 2000 to their side of the UN designated border, the Blue Line, 22 years after the resolutions had been approved. The South Lebanon Army's equipment and positions largely fell into the hands of Hezbollah.
On 7 October 2000 three Israeli combat engineering soldiers were kidnapped from the Shebaa Farms after Hezbollah guerrillas set off a bomb next to their jeep. The parents of the soldiers later suspected that the hostages were killed after the abduction and accused the United Nations and UNIFIL of cooperating with Hezbollah. [4] Their bodies were later retrieved in a prisoner swap deal.
On 2 September 2004 Resolution 1559 was approved, calling for the disbanding of all Lebanese militia. An armed Hezbollah is seen by the Israeli government as a contravention of the resolution.[5] The Lebanese government differs from this interpretation.[6][7]
After Hezbollah killed an Israeli soldier in an attack on a vehicle that had crossed the border on 20 January 2004, Israel bombed two of the group's bases. [8]
On 29 January 2004, a prisoner swap was carried out.
July and August 2004 saw more border clashes, the most serious since May 2004, when Hezbollah had killed an Israeli soldier in a disputed area along the border. Hezbollah said the clash began when Israeli forces shelled its positions, while Israel said that Hezbollah had started the fighting with a sniper attack on a border outpost.
On May 26, 2006, a car bomb killed Palestinian Islamic Jihad leader Mahmoud Majzoub in Lebanon. Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Saniora called Israel the prime suspect, but Israel denied involvement.[9] On May 28, 2006, rockets were fired from Lebanon into Israel. Hours later, Israel responded by bombing suspected militant sites and exchanging fire across the border. The UN negotiated a ceasefire the same day.[10]
On 14 June 2006 Lebanese authorities arrested members of an alleged Israeli spy ring. Mahmoud Rafeh reportedly confessed to the Majzoub killings and admitted working for Mossad. He admitted that his cell had assassinated three Hezbollah leaders over the past seven years. Bomb-making materials and espionage equipment were seized; however, Lebanese opponents of Hezbollah suspected that the exposure of the spy ring was a Hezbollah fabrication.[11]
2006 Israel-Lebanon Conflict (July 2006-ongoing)
The six week ceasefire ended on 12 July 2006 after Hezbollah initiated a diversionary Katyusha rocket and mortar attack on Israeli military positions and border villages, while another Hezbollah unit conducted a cross-border raid and captured two Israeli soldiers (Zar'it-Shtula incident). Israel responded with massive airstrikes and artillery fire on targets throughout Lebanon, an air and naval blockade [12] and a ground invasion of southern Lebanon. Hezbollah launched rockets into northern Israel and engaged the Israeli Army in guerrilla warfare. A United Nations-brokered ceasefire went into effect on 14 August 2006. The blockade was ended 8 September.[13]
References
- ^ "Refugees and internally displaced persons". Lebanon. The CIA World Factbook. 8 August 2006. Retrieved 2006-08-16.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ "Lebanon – UNIFIL Background". United Nations. 2005. Retrieved 2006-07-14.
- ^ Israel-Lebanon border, June 1982
- ^ [1]
- ^ Butcher, Tim (August 17, 2006). "Lebanese troops will not disarm Hizbollah". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 2006-09-06.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help); Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - ^ "Security Council Notes Significant Progress in Lebanon…". United Nations Security Council. 01-23-06.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ "Hezbollah rejects call to disarm". ABC (AU). 2005-04-27.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ "Israeli jets hit Lebanon targets". BBC News. 2004-01-20. Retrieved 2006-07-13.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Mroue, Bassem (26 May 2006). "Islamic Jihad leader killed in Lebanon". Boston Globe. Retrieved 14 August 2006.
- ^ Klein, Aaron (29 May 2006). "Syria, Iran directed rocket barrage against Israel". World News Daily. Retrieved 14 August 2006.
- ^ Blanford, Nicholas (15 June 2006). "Lebanon exposes deadly Israeli spy ring". The Times UK. Retrieved 14 August 2006.
- ^ "Lebanese Premier Seeks U.S. Help in Lifting Blockade". Washington Post. 24 August 2006.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Pannell, Ian (9 September 2006). "Lebanon breathes after the blockade". BBC News. Retrieved 9 September 2006.
