Adonis Diaries

How Israel abused of the Christians during the occupation of one-third of Lebanon (1982-2000)

Part of this post was inspired by the book “A history of Lebanon, 1860-2009” by David Hirst. Hirst is a British veteran journalist who was the correspondent of the British The Guardian for 43 years in the Middle-East: He was kidnapped twice in Lebanon.

In her book “The Amants (lovers) of Zion”, Laura Zittrain Eisenberg, the historian of the Zionist/Maronite relationship, wrote: “A few years before the Balfour Declaration (1917), Russian Zionists contacted the Maronite clergy (Christian sect of Lebanon) and the Zionists leaders were happily surprised to be welcomed warmly. Not only the Maronite clergy wanted the Jews to immigrate to Palestine and Syria (Lebanon was part of Syria), but wished that immigration wave be vast and quick. The Maronites viewed themselves as the Christians of the Orient who are the most westernized in the region and compatible with western civilization.

Consequently, the Maronite clergy, big merchants, and feudal leaders wished to have many more minority religious sects to grow in number in order to counterbalance the vast Moslem population.  They believed that the intellectual and cultural superiority of the Maronite and Jews would compensate for their numerical inferiority. They hoped for fresh investment in industrial equipment, production methods, and western skills to enhance prosperity in the Near-East, where they were the leading business professionals…”

In the early 1920’s, the Maronite people were divided between the isolationist and pro-Zionist groups, and those factions with Pan-Arabic feelings and conviction. The first group selected “Phoenicia” history and civilization as the foundation for a State of Lebanon.

The Zionist movement welcomed any support coming from any corner in the Arab World, on the ground that “Necessity is the driving law”

Journalist British correspondent Robert Fisk wrote a book “Affliction of Nation” and I have been summarizing chapters of the Arabic version.  Fisk covered the civil war in Lebanon for 9 years for the British daily The Times and investigated on the ground.

Fisk wrote “In the winter season of 1981, the Lebanese Forces installed mortar guns on Mount Sannine. (Robert Fisk was among the “Christian” forces, called “The Lebanese Forces” headed by Bashir Gemayel).  I could barely breath from the high altitude and the freezing weather.  The Syrian army got suspicious of Beshir’s purpose, particularly that Bashir boasted publicly of his friendship with Israel.

“Actually, Israel has been unloading military equipment and ammunition in the port of Jounieh for quite a time. What if this side road is being prepared for Israel to use in a preemptive war against Syria?

Syrian tanks fired over these mortar installations.  The militia behaved as frightened adolescent every time a tank fired over them.  The Syrian troops managed to stop finishing constructing this military road.  The Christian militia prevented the Syrians from reaching Faraya snow skiing resort.  The Syrian troops acquired the top of Sannine, while the Christian militia were contented of remaining 50 meters below. Fisk looked over the sand bags and could see the entire Bekaa Valley down below.

This was a totally bungled battle, meant principally for propaganda purpose.  The university graduates in the Christian militia were hardly capable of firing properly the mortar guns.  Fisk wrote: “As we were withdrawing in a hurry, using a German truck (the same kinds imported by the Palestinians in West Beirut), a tire blew up.  We had to scramble on slippery snowy ways for 9 miles toward the hotel Mazar Faraya.  This hotel was transformed into a military garrison.  All the utensils were imported from Israel, as well as the military clothes”. The militias were into the new trend of shalom here, shalom there.” (See note #1)

“As the invasion of Israel to Lebanon in June 1982 progressed, fear and apprehension of Israel military vanished. The might of Israel was not in its soldiers, but in its destructive fire power and air superiority, all of it given for free by the US.

In this invasion, Israel emptied its last shot at scaring its neighboring States:  Israeli soldiers were hunkering down in their bunkers.  An Israeli war analysts wrote: “Illusion was the basis of this preemptive war and its motivation was concealed. This war was doomed to end in catastrophe”

Israel was pressured to withdraw from the Capital Beirut in late 1982, as resistance started and officers were assassinated in broad daylight and in public, but it managed to impose its stooges Bashir Gemayel as President to Lebanon.  Bashir was assassinated two weeks before he takes office. Israel reacted by inviting the “Lebanese Force” militia to enter the Palestinian camps of Sabra and Chatila.

A terrible genocide was carried out for two days and three nights under the watchful eyes of the Israeli army cordoning-off the camps. Actually, Israel lighted the sky, dug mass graves, sent supplies to the criminals, and also brought by helicopters scores of Lebanese/Israeli soldiers from south Lebanon to lead and initiate the slaughter-hood.

Israel occupation forces withdrew to the Chouf district, mostly Druze, and by 1983, Israel suffered over 140 casualties and over 400 injured soldiers in resistance attacks. Israel decided to withdraw further south to the north of the Litany River.  Before it withdrew, Israel invited the Lebanese Forces militia, commanded by Samir Geaja, to occupy the Chouf district on its behalf. The Lebanese Forces militia committed indignities and humiliated the Druze population.  As Israel vacated the premises, the Druze counter reacted and forced the Christian to flee and transfer to the Christian canton. Until now, the Christians failed to return to their home towns and homes.

In 1985, as Israel prepared to relocate and withdraw to newer defensive lines, Israel called upon Samir Geaja, leader of the “Christian Lebanese Forces”, to come to Saida.  Geaja set up his guns in the Christian village of Mieh wa Mieh (overlooking the city of Saida) and shelled the city for an entire day.  The next morning Geaja returned to Beirut (Achrafieh).  A week later, Israel withdrew its troops, and the Christians were forced to vacate their towns and village, never to return.  That was mainly the job of Samir Geaja.

In 2000, Israel was forced to withdraw from Lebanon, without negotiation, preconditions, and unilaterally.The Christian in south Lebanon who supported Israel occupation had to flee to Israel, in order not to succumb to violent reactions.  Thousands of Lebanese are still living precariously in Israel and are waiting for viable Laws to return.

With the exception of the Damour case in 1976, most of Christian transfer calamities were the planning and tactics of Israel occupation forces, executed by small-minded and sectarian Christian leaders.

Note 1:  You may read how Israel contributed in inflaming the civil war before the 1982 incursion https://adonis49.wordpress.com/2011/07/28/battle-of-zahleh-lebanon-april-1982-revisiting-this-melancholic-civil-war/

Note 2: You may read as an introduction to this article, the condition of south Lebanon under Israeli occupation  https://adonis49.wordpress.com/2011/09/19/south-lebanon-living-conditions-under-22-years-of-israel-occupation/