Ancient and Modern Lebanon

Lebanon, formerly transliterated as Libanon, is a region with a very long history. It has been inhabited since at least the late Paleolithic period. The name “Lebanon” first appeared in the Ebla tablets, dating from the 25th to 23rd centuries BC. As early as over 2,000 years ago, the Phoenicians lived on this land, which was famous for its cedar trees. These towering giants served as important building materials for neighboring countries. These records about Lebanon can all be found in the Old Testament of the Bible.

Because Lebanon guards a strategic route connecting Asia, Africa, and Europe, it has been occupied by many different peoples throughout history. Lebanon was successively ruled by Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Persia, and Rome. From the 7th century to the early 16th century, it became part of the Arab Empire.
 

In 1517, Lebanon was occupied by the Ottoman Empire. After World War I, it became a French Mandate. During World War II, British forces occupied Lebanon. On November 22, 1943, the Lebanese Republic was established.

In April 1975, a civil war broke out between Christian and Islamic factions in Lebanon, lasting for 15 years. It severely damaged the Lebanese economy and caused massive casualties and property loss. It’s estimated that 150,000 people were killed, 200,000 were injured, and about 900,000 people (one-fifth of the pre-war population) were displaced. In 1990, the warring parties signed an agreement to end the civil war, and the two major factions re-apportioned political power, but much of Lebanon had been reduced to rubble.

During the civil war, the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) used Lebanon to launch attacks on Israel. Israel twice invaded and occupied Lebanon, in 1978 and 1982. During the second invasion, the PLO was expelled. At the same time, Syria stationed troops in Lebanon and supported the domestic Hezbollah guerrilla forces, while Israel controlled southern Lebanon, creating a “security zone” and maintaining an armed occupation from 1985 to 2000. On April 26, 2005, Syria, in accordance with a UN resolution, withdrew its troops from Lebanon, ending 29 years of direct intervention.

On July 12, 2006, a conflict erupted between Israel and Hezbollah. The month-long conflict caused huge casualties on both sides, with nearly 160 Israelis and more than 1,000 Lebanese killed. On August 14, the UN Security Council issued Resolution 1701, calling for a ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel, which officially ended the conflict.

On May 9, 2008, Hezbollah and Amal forces occupied West Beirut, the Lebanese capital, sparking the most severe internal unrest since the 1975–1990 civil war. On May 21, with the mediation of the Arab League, the main Lebanese parties signed the Doha Agreement in Qatar, which ended the internal fighting.

Today, the fires of war continue to burn in Lebanon. On the border between Lebanon and Israel, bombs and missiles are being exchanged, and the death toll continues to rise. Countless people are displaced, and new grievances coupled with old hatreds are constantly escalating the conflict. Lebanon—once a jewel of ancient trade and a center of human civilization—has gradually become a scorched earth of war, making it difficult to restore its former glory.