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Beirut 1982: A forgotten siege

Sunday, 07 September 2025 9:14 PM [ Last Update: Monday, 08 September 2025 2:19 AM ]

In August 1982, the Israeli military inflicted a devastating defeat upon the Arab world, occupying vast territories of Lebanon including Beirut after a prolonged and destructive siege that left the capital in ruins.

The scenes of relentless bombardment, widespread hunger, and a city plunged into darkness bear a stark resemblance to the current situation in Gaza. Israel achieved its primary goals of expelling the PLO and forcing a Syrian withdrawal, a victory solidified by the election of its ally, Bashir Gemayel, as president.

This political triumph created a mood of collective despair and defeat among the Lebanese, exemplified by one resistant fighter's decision to permanently leave the country. However, Gemaye's subsequent assassination just before taking office dramatically reversed that despair, compelling the same fighter to tear up his passport and recommit to the struggle against occupation.

This analysis of the 1982 invasion seeks to understand the dimensions of that total defeat, arguing that its consequences reverberated for over a decade, in order to extract crucial lessons for comprehending the present and future.

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