Strategic Assessment

One year has passed since Israel’s unilateral withdrawal from Lebanon. As is often the case, looking back can provide better judgement on the validity of the policy that led to the decision to withdraw unilaterally from Lebanon, and yield valuable lessons concerning possible developments along the Israeli-Lebanese border. Did those who supported the withdrawal correctly analyze the various motivations and conditions existing among the various actors? Has the decision by Ehud Barak’s government to withdraw from Southern Lebanon stood the test of time? This article will attempt to briefly sketch out the pros and cons.