1978 South Lebanon conflict

1978 South Lebanon conflict
IDF Spokesperson's Unit photographer · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source
Conflict	1978 South Lebanon conflict
Part of	Lebanese Civil War, Arab–Israeli conflict
Date	March 14 – March 21, 1978
Place	South Lebanon
Result	Israeli withdrawal, United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon deployment

1978 South Lebanon conflict. The conflict involved Israel, Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), and Lebanon, with United States, Soviet Union, and United Nations playing significant roles. It was a key event in the Lebanese Civil War and the broader Arab–Israeli conflict, involving Yasser Arafat, Menachem Begin, and Anwar El-Sadat. The conflict had significant implications for the region, including the Camp David Accords and the Egypt–Israel Peace Treaty.

Background

The 1978 South Lebanon conflict was preceded by the 1948 Arab–Israeli War, which led to the establishment of Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon, including Ain al-Hilweh and Rashidieh. The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), led by Yasser Arafat, had been launching attacks on Israel from South Lebanon, prompting Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) responses, such as Operation Litani. The conflict also involved Syria, which had been occupying Lebanon since the Syrian Civil War, and Iran, which was supporting the PLO and other Shia groups in Lebanon. Key figures, including Henry Kissinger, Jimmy Carter, and Leonid Brezhnev, played important roles in shaping the international response to the conflict.

Causes of the conflict

The conflict was sparked by a Coastal Road massacre on March 11, 1978, in which Fatah militants, led by Dalal Mughrabi, attacked a bus on the Coastal Highway in Israel, killing 38 civilians, including American and Canadian nationals. This attack was a response to the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, which had been ongoing since the Six-Day War. The PLO had been using South Lebanon as a base for attacks on Israel, which led to Israeli retaliation, including Operation Litani in 1978. The conflict also involved Hezbollah, which was supported by Iran and Syria, and the Amal Movement, which was supported by Syria and the PLO.

The conflict

The conflict began on March 14, 1978, when Israel launched a large-scale invasion of South Lebanon, code-named Operation Litani, with the goal of driving the PLO out of the region. The IDF advanced as far as the Litani River, and the PLO responded with rocket attacks on Israel. The conflict involved United States diplomats, including Cyrus Vance and Andrew Young, who attempted to negotiate a ceasefire. The conflict also involved the United Nations Security Council, which passed United Nations Security Council Resolution 425 calling for an immediate withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanon.

Israeli invasion

The Israeli invasion of South Lebanon was led by Major General Mordechai Gur and involved IDF units, including the Golani Brigade and the Paratroopers Brigade. The invasion was supported by Israeli Air Force airstrikes and Israeli Navy gunfire. The PLO responded with guerrilla warfare, including ambushes and sniper attacks, which slowed the IDF advance. The conflict involved Christian militias, including the South Lebanon Army (SLA), which was supported by Israel, and the Lebanese Forces, which was supported by United States and France.

Aftermath

The conflict ended on March 21, 1978, with the deployment of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) to South Lebanon. The IDF withdrew from Lebanon, but the PLO remained in the region, and the conflict continued in various forms until the 2006 Lebanon War. The conflict had significant implications for the region, including the Camp David Accords and the Egypt–Israel Peace Treaty, which were negotiated by Menachem Begin, Anwar El-Sadat, and Jimmy Carter. The conflict also led to the establishment of the Multinational Force in Lebanon, which included troops from United States, France, Italy, and United Kingdom.

International reaction

The international reaction to the conflict was significant, with the United Nations Security Council passing United Nations Security Council Resolution 425 calling for an immediate withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanon. The United States and the Soviet Union played key roles in shaping the international response to the conflict, with Jimmy Carter and Leonid Brezhnev attempting to negotiate a ceasefire. The conflict also involved the European Economic Community, which imposed economic sanctions on Israel, and the Arab League, which supported the PLO and called for Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon. Key figures, including Kurt Waldheim, André François-Poncet, and Olof Palme, played important roles in shaping the international response to the conflict. Category:Conflicts in 1978