Peace with Israel would open new path for Lebanon

In 2000, after 22 years of occupation, Israel withdrew from southern Lebanon. Following this swift withdrawal, Israel’s proxy, the South Lebanese Army, collapsed and let the Iran-backed group, Hezbollah, take control of its territories. It was hence Hezbollah, not the Lebanese state, that took over. Israel’s unilateral withdrawal, ordered by Prime Minister Ehud Barak, ended a very costly presence with no significant gains. During its occupation, Israel lost about 1,000 men and the financial cost was in the billions of dollars.

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