Middle East 695
1981, the Israeli Defense Forces were engaged in open hostilities with the Palestine
Liberation Organization forces throughout southern Lebanon, and the following week
witnessed the bloodiest days of the dispute after the Israeli air force bombing central
Beirut. After pressure from US President Ronald Reagan, the American ambassador
to the Middle East was ordered to arrange a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon. On
July 24, both sides agreed to the ceasefire.
Coding changes: Start Date changed from August 24, 1980. End Date changed from
July 25, 1981.
MID#3444
Dispute Number: 3444
Date(s): April 11, 1982 to May 17, 1985
Participants: 666 Israel/652 Syria, 660 Lebanon
Outcome (and Settlement): Victory for side B (Negotiated)
Fatalities: >999 deaths
Narrative: This dispute describes what was colloquially known as the First Lebanon
War. In late March 1982, after completing the last of the withdrawals from the Sinai,
Israel turned its attention to Lebanon, which they believed could contain Soviet mis-
siles placed there by Syria. On April 11, Israel moved troops to the Lebanese border
but did not break the truce and cross. The conflict stayed in this state with a few smaller
skirmishes until Israeli diplomat Shlomo Argov was paralyzed in an assassination
attempt in London on June 3. While the group that organized the attempt was not a part
of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), the PLO was suspected, blamed, and
Israel decided it was time to attack. On June 6, Israeli Defense Forces invaded southern
Lebanon. The primary objective of this attack was to remove the PLO and its influence
in southern Lebanon and remove any weapons staged by Syria in that territory. Not
long after the fighting began, the Syrian military joined the effort on the Lebanese side
but was of little help. Most of the heavy fighting was over by September 1982 with the
PLO removing its troops from southern Lebanon. On May 17, 1983, with the assistance
of the United States, Israel and Lebanon signed an accord officially ending the war
and staging Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon. This withdrawal took over two years to
complete with Israel only pulling back small numbers of troops at a time so as to leave
a security force in Lebanon to help the Israeli-backed militia, the Southern Lebanon
Army. On June 5, 1985, Israel completed its troop withdrawal to the security zone.
Coding changes: Start Date changed from April 11, 1982; End Date changed from June
5, 1985.
MID#4182
Dispute Number: 4182
Date(s): April 6, 1993 to September 8, 2006
Participants: 666 Israel/660 Lebanon
Outcome (and Settlement): Compromise (Negotiated)
Fatalities: 101–250 deaths