Filmmaker Yael Lavie presents the important book of Yair Ravid, “Window to the Backyard” to the president of Israel
المخرجة يائيل لافي تقدم كتاب يائير رافيد ، “نافذة على الفناء الخلفي” للرئيس الإسرائيلي
May 13/2023
من أرشيف موقع المنسقية حول كتاب يائير رفيد “Windows To The Backyard”
قراءة في كتاب “ﻨﺎﻔﺫﻩ ﻋﻟﻰ الفناء الخلفي” للكولونيل الإسرائيلي الكولونيل يائير رافيد المعروف بابو داود/الكتاب يتاول حقبة جيش لبنان الجنوبي غسان جاكوب/15 نيسان/2016 ﺃﻫﻤﻴﺘﻪ الكتاب ﻫﻲ ﻔﻲ ﺇﺤﺘﻭﺍﺌﻪ ﻋﻠﻰ شرح دقيق ومفصل لكل ما يتعلق بﺇﻘﺎﻤﻪ ﻮﺘﺄﺴيس علاقات بين دولة إسرائيل وسكان جنوب لبنان الذي كان يعرّف “بالشريط الحدودي” وذلك من خلال اتصالات سرية بدأت مع حزب الكتائب اللبناني في العام 1976 التي قام بها عن الجانب الإسرائيلي مؤلف الكتاب الكولونيل يائير رافيد (Yair Ravid) بصفته قائداً أمنياً يتكلم اللغة العربية بطلاقة ولتبوئه فيما بعد منصب قائد فرع عمليات الموساد في لبنان. شرح الكاتب بدقة ونزاهة الأسباب والموجبات وصدق النوايا من وراء تلك العلاقات الأخوية التي أدت إلى استبدال الشريط الحدودي الشائك بما سمي بالجدار الطيب الذي أقيمت على جوانبه المستوصفات الطبية المجانية كما فُتحت فيه “بوابة فاطمة” لعبو الراغبين من المرضى والعمال والسواح إلى إسرائيل. تلك العلاقات الأخوية ساهمت بتأسيس وتدريب جيش لبنان الجنوبي لتمكينه من الدفاع عن أرضه وشعبه تحت قيادة الشرعية اللبنانية وليس كحزب الله وولائه لولاية الفقيه الإيرانية، ولا كجيش أحمد الخطيب الذي عمل زوراً تحت اسم جيش لبنان العربي وتخلى عن قيادة الشرعية اللبنانية وحاربها. شرح الكاتب بنزاهة وواقعية الفشل الإسرائيلي بعد انسحاب إسرائيل من الجنوب اللبناني في أيار عام 2000 ولجؤ أبناء الجنوب الشرفاء إلى إسرائيل وتمكين حزب الله ومن خلفه إيران إلى التحكم بالمصير اللبناني واستبدال هويته اللبنانية السيادية بالفارسية الملالوية وتسلله فيما بعد إلى داخل العديد من الدول العربية… وما يحصل اليوم في اليمن وسوريا ولبنان والبحرين والسعودية هو خير دليل على ذلك. هذا وقد تطرق الكاتب أيضاً إلى ما سمي بثورات الربيع العربي التي بدأت في تونس عام 2010 وامتدت إلى مصر واليمن وسوريا وليبيا ولم ولا تزال مستمرة حتى اليوم محللاً بواقعية وتجرد الدوافع ومفنداً المستفيدين منها والأدوار التي لعبوها في نشؤ وامتداد الدولة الإسلامي(داعش) في كل من سوريا والعراق ومدى تأثيرها على دول الشرق الأوسط وامتدادها لاحقاً وبسرعة إلى الدول الأوروبية ومناطق شرق أسيا. ولا بد هنا من التساؤل عن مهاجمة ابناء جنوب لبنان وتخوينهم جراء تواصلهم مع دولة إسرائيل حفاظاً على وجودهم وأمنهم وهويتهم وحياتهم وبعلم وموافقة السلطات اللبنانية في حينه، وفي نفس الوقت قبول ومباركة خيار كل من مصر والفلسطينيين والأردن بهذا الأمر. في الخلاصة إن تشريد ابناء الجنوب اللبناني واجبارهم على اللجوء إلى دولة إسرائيل خوفاً على حياتهم عقب تهديدات الأمين العام لحزب الله السيد حسن نصرالله العلنية والإرهابية هو أمر لا انساني ولا أخلاقي ولا قانوني ولا وطني، علماً أن هؤلاء الأبطال والمقاومين الشرفاء هم لبنانيون قلباً وقلباً وإيماناً وولاءاً. يشار هنا إلى دولة إسرائيل استقبلتهم وأحسنت معاملتهم في حين عملت إيران وسوريا وكل اذرعتهما العسكرية الإرهابية من لبنانية وعربية واسلامية على محاولات استعبادهم وإزلالهم وتخوينهم واقتلاعهم من أرضهم. يبقى أن لا حق يموت طالما وراءه مطالب وأهل الجنوب لم ولن يتخلوا عن حقهم وعن وطنهم وأرضه المقدسة وهم بالتأكيد كطائر الفينيق سوف ينبعثون من الرماد ويعودون إلى أرضهم أقوياء ومنتصرين مهما طال زمن ابعادهم ومهما اشتدت الصعاب لأنهم هم الحق ولأنهم هم الخير ولأن كل من يعاديهم هو الشر… والشر دائماً إلى انكسار وزوال. رابط الكتاب على موقع امازون
WINDOW TO THE BACKYARD: THE HISTORY OF ISRAEL-LEBANON RELATIONS – FACTS & ILLUSIONS Kindle Edition Yair Ravid /Author http://www.amazon.com/WINDOW-BACKYARD-ISRAEL-LEBANON-RELATIONS-ILLUSIONS-ebook/dp/B01DQ20DJ6/ref=as_li_ss_tl?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1459688917&sr=1-1&linkCode=sl1&tag=mendeheboo-20&linkId=bf93e7af3efb80b437cb972d80957c58 Yossi Melman, journalist and commentator on security and intelligence affairs An obligatory read for those who wish to understand why and how the state of Israel got entangled in Lebanon. This book was written by a member of the Israeli Intelligence Service and former Mossad agent, Yair Ravid (Ravitch), who was in charge of establishing Israel’s connections with South Lebanon and the Christian Phalanges in Beirut in 1976. It describes and analyzes the thought patterns that governed those who initiated contacts and the relationship with South Lebanon, as well as the reasons leading them to deviate from the original intentions, thus sinking Israel in the Lebanese swamp. The author describes things as they were, without embellishing or beautifying reality. The second part of the book comprises a variety of stories about the experiences of an Israeli Intelligence officer, told with wit and humor. Yair Ravid, known in the intelligence community and in Lebanon as “Abu Daoud,” sets out before us in his personal and authentic story, a turbulent and fascinating period in Israel’s relations with the Christians in Lebanon. A relationship that began in the 1970s with the Christian villages in South Lebanon designed to counterbalance the presence of the Palestinian military forces, continuing with an alliance with the Christians in the north formed before and during the First Lebanon War, ending with the hasty withdrawal of the IDF from Lebanon under pressure of Hezbollah attacks.The book reveals once again – this time from someone of esteemed authority who is well versed in the Lebanese language and mentality – Israel’s political and military folly, led by Defense Minister Sharon, in an attempt to impose a new order in Lebanon, without understanding and internalizing the fragile ethnic tapestry in the country, and the fact that the Christians were a broken reed. Between the lines we can hear severe criticism of the conduct of the IDF Intelligence and the Mossad, never discussed or studied in depth to this date. Conduct leading to the sinking in the Lebanese quagmire, some of which was not in keeping with the code of ethics and professional standards.Yair, who was my commander in the Mossad, is an excellent Arabist with a thorough understanding of Lebanese culture and history. He also has strong analytical abilities and a keen sense of criticism. Through his personal story he offers us a rare glimpse behind the scenes of the intelligence campaign which took place in Lebanon. Naftali Granot, former deputy head of the Mossad Yair Ravid (Ravitch) was wounded during his military service. Despite his disability he completed his officers’ course with distinction and continued his service in the standing army in the IDF Intelligence Corps. He served in numerous positions in the field of recruitment and operation of agents in Arab countries. In 1976, in his capacity as commander of the Northern Region of Unit 504, he was responsible for establishing the contacts with the people of South Lebanon; contacts which later lead to the establishment of the South Lebanon Army. He was also responsible for forming the relationship with the Phalanges in Beirut, which was later transferred to the responsibility of the Mossad. He himself transferred to the Mossad and filled several command positions in the organization’s stations in Europe. In 1982 he was appointed commander of the Mossad’s operational station in Beirut, a position he held for three years.
From The web site Archieve in regards to Yair Ravid’s Book “Windows To The Backyard” A New Review of Colonel Yair Ravid’s book, “Window to the Backyard” (The History of Israel-Lebanon Relations – Facts and Illusions) by Rebecca Bynum/Assistant to Dr Walid Phares, Trump campaign foreign policy advisor Friday, 17 February 2017 Window to the Backyard: The History of Israel-Lebanon Relations – Facts and Illusions by Yair Ravid I would like to commend Colonel Yair Ravid’s new book, Window to the Backyard, to our readers. I first became interested in foreign policy in the early 1980’s when the Lebanese civil war was raging, political assassinations were rampant, and the Lebanese drama briefly flared up to obliterate the main action of the Cold War and to a lesser extent, the Iran-Iraq conflict. Ravid, known as Abu Daoud, was an Israeli intelligence officer operating in Southern Lebanon during the time when Israel tried to establish a buffer zone between its borders and the main fighting there beginning in the early 1970’s. Ravid entertainingly recounts his interactions with many of the major players, from President Camille Nimer Chamoun’s partridge hunts on the border to his personal relationship with Pierre Gemayel and his sons, especially Bashir, who was assassinated shortly after being elected as President, and his relationship with legendary Israeli military leaders such as General Raphael “Raful” Eitan. The Lebanese conflict was extremely complex, at least as viewed from the outside. It began after the PLO, having been ejected from Jordan, entered Lebanon and began attacking civilians in Beirut. The Israelis eventually hoped to use the Christians to help defeat and remove the PLO from the south. The Christian militias hoped to use the Israelis to push back the Syrians (who had also entered the conflict) and then pressure the Israelis to withdraw leaving them in control of their own destiny once more. Neither side got what it wanted, but the history of their interaction is a very interesting and we are fortunate to have this testimony from one of the most integral players on the Israeli side. Ravid clearly sympathized with the Christian villagers who were being shelled by the PLO and massacred en masse in village after village. The Lebanese Phalangist militias eventually gave as good as they got, but the Sabra-Shatila massacre of Palestinians in 1982, carried out in retaliation for a massacre of Christians, was sensationalized in the press and used to blame Israel and force its wholesale withdrawal from south Lebanon. Despite the bitter and hysterical recriminations which flew in all directions following this terrible incident, Ravid’s intelligence arm remained active, providing the IDF with vital information and doing what he could to provide weapons to the Christians for their self-defense. Hezbollah was also born in this cauldron of strife and, with the support of Iran, has grown to become the most powerful force in Lebanon today. The former Christian stronghold, once protected by the French, has witnessed its Christian population become a relatively powerless minority whose leader, Lebanese President Michel Aoun, has openly allied with Hezbollah. Colonel Ravid’s account is a personal story. Most interesting is his description of relationships with his various “assets,” who were most often a type of lovable rogue involved in various black market or other nefarious activities when not providing intelligence to Abu Daoud. The last section of the book is comprised of short character sketches of several of these men and what became of them in later life. Some died in service, but several brought their families to Israel and died in peaceful old age. Ravid’s affection for them is palpable and the book as a whole is filled with the kind of small cultural detail which gives insight missing in most historical analyses of that time. My one quibble is that the book could have used a better English language editor, but that is a minor issue. Overall, this book is a sensitive, insightful and often humorous personal account of that lamentable conflict. I would recommend it as an excellent supplement to general historical works on the period.
Israeli Spy, Yair Ravid, Catalogues Mistakes in Lebanon Linda Gradstein/The Media Line/August 3, 2016 New Book Criticizes Israeli and US Policy The Shi’ite Hizbullah movement this week released a new three-part documentary on the 2006 capture of two Israeli soldiers, which sparked a 34-day conflict between Israel and Hizbullah. The film includes interviews with several Israeli officials and an Israeli soldier wounded in the incident. Israel’s Government Press Office, GPO, says it is investigating journalist Michaela Moni of the Italian ANSA news agency, for possible ties to the organization. Moni conducted the interviews, saying they were for Italian outlets, not Hizbullah. In any case, the fact that Hizbullah was able to arrange the interviews gave it a propaganda victory. It was just the latest example of what is called in Israel, the “Lebanese swamp.” Israel fought two wars in Lebanon, in 1982 and 2006, and spent 15 years controlling a “security zone” in south Lebanon, before pulling out in 2000. In a book just translated into English, called Window to the Backyard, Israel’s former Mossad station chief, Yair Ravid, outlines a series of Israeli mistakes in Lebanon. “There are several reasons for Israel’s failure in Lebanon,” Ravid told The Media Line. “Ariel Sharon (Israel’s Defense Minister in 1982) in his megalomania thought that he could get a separate peace with Lebanon, Menachem Begin (then Prime Minister) naively thought our help to the Christians would lead to a separate peace, and the Mossad on a political level didn’t understand Lebanon.” Ravid, 71, was responsible for developing ties between Israel and the Christian villages in Lebanon. Those contacts eventually led to the creation of the South Lebanon Army (SLA), thousands of whom fled to Israel when Israel left Lebanon in 2000. About 2700 former SLA members live in Israel today. “Israel divided the SLA into two groups – the officers and the regular soldiers,” Julie Abu Araj, whose father was killed fighting for the SLA and today lives in Israel told The Media Line. “The officers got a lot of assistance from the Israeli government, but the regular soldiers got much less.” Araj came to Israel when she was 12, and speaks perfect Hebrew. She feels comfortable in Israel, although sometimes misses her home town. She has become active in advocating for the rights of former SLA fighters, some of whom feel abandoned by Israel. Successive Israeli governments failed to understand the complexities of Lebanon, made up of Christians, Shi’ite Muslims, Sunni Muslims and Druze. Even today, Lebanon has been without a president since 2014, as the political blocs have been unable to agree. Lebanon today is also struggling to house and feed more than one million refugees from Syria who have flooded the neighboring country of just four million. Hizbullah is the kingmaker in Lebanese politics, although Hizbullah is currently bogged down in fighting with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Israeli intelligence has repeatedly warned that Hizbullah has upwards of 100,000 rockets that could hit any part of Israel. Israel in turn has warned Hizbullah it will destroy Lebanon’s infrastructure if there is another attack. “Right now Hizbullah has no interest in heating things up because they are busy in Syria,” Ravid said. “They will only start up with us if it helps their sponsor Iran.” Ravid’s book also offers some insights into what it is like to be an Israeli spy. He writes what it is like to recruit agents, describing what qualities a good spymaster needs. “Among the most important characteristics an operator of agents must be equipped with are compassion and the ability to listen to their operatives’ difficulties and problems, alongside recognizing and understanding the operatives’ family structure and the relations within their families,” he writes. “On occasion an operator has to offer agents he operates a gesture. Bestow them with gifts for personal or family occasions, and during holidays. Tributes that are unexpected, that surprise the agents, bring fast return on the investment.” He also snipes that the new generation of spies relies more on technology and les son human interaction. “I see myself as one who belongs to the old generation of agents’ operators. This is the generation which maintained close ties and often friendly ties with the Arab population. I was and still feel at home in many Arabs’ households, and many Arabs are very welcome in my home. These kinds of relationships and connections give the operator the right tools to make him an Intelligence officer,” he writes. “The younger generation of agents’ operators which is currently active is disconnected from the field and from the Arab population. This generation knows the use of computers much better than my generation, but the remoteness of the field makes them intelligence technicians and not intelligence officers.” **Ravid has not been back to Beirut since 1985. When asked if Israel currently has spies in Lebanon, he answered, “I certainly hope so.” http://www.themedialine.org/news/israeli-spy-catalogues-mistakes-lebanon/
