Lebanon Must Be Rebuilt From Zero By Yair Ravid (Abu Daoud)/October 12/2024
I am not Lebanese, and Lebanon is not my homeland. However, my deep familiarity with this country stems from decades of service to Israel’s security, during which Lebanon fell under my area of intelligence responsibility. In 1976, I led the Israeli mechanism that established ties between Christian villages in the south and Israel. They sought our help for protection against Palestinian terrorists. After the IDF, (Israeli Defence Forces) with the aid of the SLA, expelled the Palestinians, a new enemy emerged (as is always the case in Lebanon – only the sponsors change, while the citizens continuously suffer). By 1978, during the Christian-Palestinian war in Beirut, I had established connections between Israel and the Kataeb Party. I initially worked closely with Joseph Abu Khalil, a senior Kataeb figure, may his memory be blessed. Later, I forged a relationship with the late Bashir Gemayel.
Subsequently, I was appointed head of the Mossad’s operations branch in Beirut, where I lived for four years. I became intimately familiar with Lebanon—its stunning snow-capped mountains, beautiful beaches (when not littered with plastic), and rich culinary delights. I fell in love with the poetry of Fairuz, Wadih Al-Safi, and Majida El Roumi, among others.
In those days, my relationship with Lebanon was like that of a young boy smitten with the girl next door. Of course, I wasn’t blind to its flaws or betrayals, but these experiences only deepened my understanding of the crowd’s behavior. My words are not a criticism of women’s loyalty to their husbands and families—something I hold in high regard—but rather a reflection of Lebanon’s fluid concepts of loyalty. Shifting allegiances, from Syria to the Palestinians, and then to the Iranians, serve as examples. The only loyalty I encountered in Lebanon that remained unshakable was that of the SLA (South Lebanese Army) members to the State of Israel. Today, the same Maronites who once referred to Israel as “El Am El Hanuna” (the nurturing mother), now see it in a different light.
I write this not out of nostalgia, but to open the eyes of both the disillusioned Lebanese and short-sighted Israelis. After Hezbollah’s inevitable defeat, peace will not come to Lebanon through international powers or Arab countries, all of whom have vested interests in keeping the conflict alive. The worst of all are the Americans, driven largely by ignorance and foolishness. The only real solution for Lebanon will come when Israel demands accountability not only from Hezbollah but from Lebanon as a whole. Only through massive destruction of Lebanon’s infrastructure can we create conditions that will prompt a true internal opposition—primarily among the Shiites—who will push to restore Lebanon to its peaceful, quiet past.
I hope to witness this transformation in my lifetime, so I can return to Lebanon one last time for a nostalgic visit.
Yair Ravid Retired Israeli intelligence officer, former head of the Mossad branch in Beirut, and author of Window to the Backyard, available on Amazon Kindle.
