Historical Security Council
Arab-Israeli Conflict
The Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) is a terrorist group dedicated to the destruction of the Jewish state of Israel and the creation of a new Islamic fundamentalist nation made up of solely the Palestinians, an Islamic ethnic group that also inhabits the land within Israel. In recent years, the PLO has been launching many of their major attacks against Israel from Palestinian refugee camps in the southern tip of Lebanon. Both the Israeli and Lebanese governments are weary of this threat, and so the Shtawrah Accord has been signed. This agreement calls for the Lebanese army to displace the PLO in southern Lebanon and secure the border area with Israel. Because it is skeptical about the willingness and capability of the Lebanese Army to implement the Shtawrah Accord, Israel has been equipping and funding a renegade Christian remnant of the Lebanese Army led by Major Saad Haddad. Haddad's force, known as The South Lebanon Army (SLA), has grown to a strength of about 3,000 men and is closely allied with Israel. The insulation provided by this buffer area has permitted Israel to open up its border with Lebanon. Under this so-called "Good Fence" policy, Israel provides aid and conducts trade with the Lebanese living near the border.
However, the Israelis are not the only ones to have made use of this "Good Fence" border. The PLO crossed the border into Haifa, Israel, commandeered a bus, and then drove toward Tel Aviv, firing from windows. By the end of the day, these nine terrorists had murdered thirty-seven Israeli civilians and kidnapped two Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers. In retaliation, Israel has launched Operation Litani, invading Lebanon with a force of 25,000 men. The purpose of this operation, as stated by Israel, is to push PLO positions away from the border and bolster the power of the SLA. The IDF have pushed north and captured all of Lebanon south of the Litani River, inflicting thousands of casualties. There is no telling how many more innocent lives may be lost both through fighting and the humanitarian crisis if these troops are not withdrawn soon. However, it seems as though Israel is not willing to budge, fearing further attacks from the PLO and other Islamic militants. It is up to the United Nations Security Council to find a peaceful resolution to this urgent crisis.