The Free Lebanon State ( ar, دولة لبنان الحر, translit=Dawlat Lubnān al-Ḥurr), also known as the State of Free Lebanon, was a short-lived state that existed from 1979 to 1984. Proclaimed on 18 April 1979 by Saad Haddad, a Lebanese military officer and founding commander of the Maronite Christian-dominated South Lebanon Army during the

Lebanese Civil War The Lebanese Civil War ( ar, الحرب الأهلية اللبنانية, translit=Al-Ḥarb al-Ahliyyah al-Libnāniyyah) was a multifaceted armed conflict that took place from 1975 to 1990. It resulted in an estimated 120,000 fatalities a ...

, the republic garnered no international recognition. The Free Lebanon State exercised administrative authority in parts of Southern Lebanon, which was under an Israeli military occupation from 1985 to 2000 following Israel's invasion of Lebanon in 1982. The South Lebanon Army operated under the effective supervision of the

Israel Defense Forces The Israel Defense Forces (IDF; he, צְבָא הַהֲגָנָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל , ), alternatively referred to by the Hebrew-language acronym (), is the national military of the Israel, State of Israel. It consists of three servic ...

, and the Free Lebanon State's authority quickly deteriorated with the death of Haddad in 1984, retaining only a provisional administration.

History

The announcement was made on 18 April 1979. The following day, he was branded a traitor to the Lebanese government and officially dismissed from the Lebanese Army. The Free Lebanon State's existence relied on Israeli logistic and (after 1982) military support, effectively making it a client-state of Israel. The Free Lebanon State functioned for several years as a semi-independent authority in South Lebanon, being in a complete political disconnection with the internationally recognized Lebanese government in Beirut. The government of Free Lebanon under Haddad's leadership had never received international recognition. Following the

1982 Lebanon War The 1982 Lebanon War, dubbed Operation Peace for Galilee ( he, מבצע שלום הגליל, or מבצע של"ג ''Mivtsa Shlom HaGalil'' or ''Mivtsa Sheleg'') by the Israeli government, later known in Israel as the Lebanon War or the First L ...

, much of the claimed territory of the Free Lebanon State became part of the South Lebanon Security Belt, under joint control of the Israeli Army and the Free Lebanon Army. The authority of the Free Lebanon State further deteriorated with the death of Saad Haddad in January 1984, following which only the military force of the self-proclaimed state continued to function, rebranded as the South Lebanon Army (SLA).

Communications

During the first two years of the

South Lebanon conflict (1982–2000) South Lebanon conflict may refer to: *1978 South Lebanon conflict *South Lebanon conflict (1985–2000) *2006 Lebanon War The 2006 Lebanon War, also called the 2006 Israel–Hezbollah War and known in Lebanon as the July War ( ar, حرب تم� ...

, Saad Haddad headed the Christian radio station "Voice of Hope",Arab Mass Media: Newspapers, Radio, and Television in Arab Politics By William A. Rugh p. 197 initially set up and funded by George Otis of High Adventure Ministries. The Voice of Hope was set up as a charitable endeavor to help the Christian enclave in Southern Lebanon, but it quickly became politicized, when Hadaad used it for political diatribes aimed at his many enemies. High Adventure billed it as the only privately owned radio station in the Middle East that was broadcasting the Gospel, but its message was often tainted by the necessary affiliation with Hadaad's militia, as its operation depended upon his protection and authority, resulting in a very curious blend of scripture lessons and political commentary which the staff at the station could not control or regulate.

Economy

The beginning of the Good Fence coincides with the beginning of the civil war in Lebanon in 1976 and Israeli support for the predominantly-Maronite militias in southern Lebanon in their battle with the PLO. From 1977, Israel allowed the Maronites and their allies to find employment in Israel and provided assistance in exporting their goods through the Israeli port city of

Haifa Haifa ( he, חֵיפָה ' ; ar, حَيْفَا ') is the third-largest city in Israel—after Jerusalem and Tel Aviv—with a population of in . The city of Haifa forms part of the Haifa metropolitan area, the third-most populous metropol ...

. The main border crossing through which goods and workers crossed was the Fatima Gate crossing near Metula. This provided essential economic stability to the administration of the Free Lebanon State and the later South Lebanon security belt administration.

Relations with UN personnel

The freedom of movement of UNIFIL personnel and UNTSO observers within the Free Lebanon enclave remained restricted due to the actions of Amal and the Free Lebanon Army under Major Saad Haddad's leadership with the backing of Israeli military forces.UN Doc S/15194
of 10 June 1982 ''Report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon'' During the 1982 Lebanon War, UN positions were overrun, primarily by the South Lebanon Army forces under Saad Haddad.

Recognition

The Free Lebanon State did not succeed in gaining recognition from any state with the exception of unofficial recognition by the State of Israel.

References