Abstract:
"Using recently declassified sources, this article sheds light on the relatively unexamined years of 1968 to 1970 in the Israeli–Lebanese relationship and claims that the period was a turning point in Israeli attitudes and policy toward its northern neighbor. The evolution of the Palestinian cause after the Six-Day War led to three major developments. First, the formerly quiet border with Lebanon became a site of significant conflict between Israel and the Palestinians, who were now using Lebanon as a base of operations. Second, Lebanese Christians and Israelis found common cause against the Palestinians in Lebanon, but with the repeated failure of efforts to cooperate, Israel began to shape its policies on the assumption of the Lebanese government’s incompetence. Finally, Israel’s military establishment began to play a dominant role in Israel’s foreign policy. These trends intensified over the subsequent years and reached their dramatic peak in the war of 1982."
*The opinions expressed in MDC publications are the authors’ alone.