Topic B: The Lebanon-Israeli Conflict

From the remains of the Ottoman Empire, to its independence from France, in 1943, Lebanon has seen its share of war. And so has its people.

The Declaration of The Establishment of The State of Israel, in 1948, resulted in the Arab-Israeli War, at the same year – the first conflict of a series in which Lebanon would face direct confrontation with Israel. Having the smallest army of the Arab League, Lebanon did not have an impact on the result of this first conflict, but it would, however, serve as sanctuary for more than 110.000 Palestinian  refugees, who moved into camps established and administered by UNRWA – United Nations Relief and Works Agency.

In 1982, with Ariel Sharon commanding the Ministry of Defense, Israel invaded Lebanon to force out PLO – Palestine Liberation Organization. The entity had in the latter its main headquarters. By the moment of this invasion, Lebanon was going through a civil war that began in 1975 and would only reach a conclusion in 1991. This conflict involved a complex religious web: Orthodox Christians, Maronites, Sunni, Shia and Druze Muslims. In this cultural mosaic, Syria stood, initially, in favor of the Muslims, extending its influence all over Lebanon, from where it would only leave in 2005. Israel did the same, supporting, however, the Christian side of the quarrel. With this meddling, Israel created a “safety zone” in the South of Lebanon.

However, the Israeli presence in the South of Lebanon generated a resistance of Shia origins which quickly converted into a major importance armed group, financed by Iran and supported by Syria: Hezbollah. Even though Israel withdrew from the region in the year 2000, the invasions of the Hezbollah militants coming from the South of Lebanon to the Israeli territory have not ceased.

The current crisis that is still unresolved in the area began in July 12th, 2006, when Hezbollah kidnapped two Israeli soldiers after aiming and firing its Katyusha rockets through its borders, alongside mortar bombing. Israel responded by carrying out a massive air strike on Hezbollah bases situated in Lebanon, immediately enforcing an air and naval blockade and invading the south of Lebanon. Since then, kidnapping, for instance, has been a common event in the Israeli-Lebanese border. Israeli forces are retaliating Hezbollah actions with extreme measures, which have victimized several innocents, including children. Regardless what the Israeli State prime objective was, their action provoked a rise in the Hezbollah prestige around the Shias in the Muslim world. Israel attests that this conflict has the objective of dismantling the terrorist group that may be acting along with Iranian regime, in what they call a “Shia Connection”.

The conflict was softened by the UN Resolution 1701, unanimously approved by the United Nations Security Council. This resolution, which was approved by both Lebanese and Israeli governments in the following days, called for disarmament of Hezbollah, for withdrawal of Israel from Lebanon, and for the deployment of Lebanese soldiers and an enlarged United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) in the southern region of the country. 

The life in both Lebanon and North Israel is far from normal, with casualties still happening, caused by unexploded cluster bombs. The Lebanese government and the UNIFIL have stated their inability to disarm Hezbollah, and the tensions remain high.

The UNSC must, therefore, as the ultimate international security organ, reassure its previous resolution and make sure that all of its statements are followed to the letter, maintaining peace in the region no matter what, before the conflict is reinitiated.

Time is running out.