Books Explore Early Zionist Aspirations in Lebanon

Lebanon has long been a focal point of the Arab-Israeli conflict, with Israel launching numerous wars and attempted occupations. Paradoxically, Lebanon was also the first Arab country where Zionism sought common interests in the early 20th century, even before the establishment of Israel. Zionism viewed Lebanon as a potential "window in the wall of Arab Islamic hostility" to the Zionist project, a notion that proved incorrect.

Despite ongoing conflict and resistance, particularly in southern Lebanon, some Lebanese factions have called for reconciliation and normalization with Israel in recent years. While much has been written about the post-1948 conflict and Lebanese resistance, less attention has been paid to pre-1948 Israeli-Lebanese relations and Zionist political and geographical ambitions in Mount Lebanon and Jabal Amel (southern Lebanon). These early ambitions, linked to colonial and biblical maps, have been revived by recent Israeli occupations of southern Lebanese villages.

The article highlights several key books that delve into these early relations. "The Lebanese Labyrinth: The Policy of the Zionist Movement and the State of Israel Towards Lebanon (1918-1958)" by Reuven Erlich examines Zionist political and intelligence activities in Lebanon from the early 20th century, noting attempts to forge common interests with political and social forces in Mount Lebanon. The book also details how Jabal Amel hindered Zionist relations with Mount Lebanon and discusses some southern Lebanese landowners selling land to the Zionist Organization.

"My Enemy's Enemy: Lebanese-Zionist Relations 1900-1948" by Laura Eisenberg explores early Zionist efforts to establish a "minority alliance," focusing on connections with Maronites who harbored separatist ambitions from the Ottoman Empire and the Arab world. It notes that while Zionists engaged with Lebanese Jews for financial and intelligence support, political alliances were primarily sought with Maronites. The book also details how Zionists exploited the colonial contexts of British and French mandates over Palestine and Lebanon, influencing border demarcations.

"The Historical Roots of the Zionist Project in Lebanon: A Reading of the Memoirs of Eliyahu Sasson and Eliyahu Eilat" by Badr Al-Haj analyzes key Zionist memoirs concerning political and intelligence activities in Lebanon. Al-Haj's work draws on archival materials to critically examine the accounts of Eilat and Sasson, who played significant roles in the Zionist Organization's Arab Affairs department.

Finally, "The Occupied Lebanese Strip: Paths of Occupation, Tracks of Confrontation, Fates of the Inhabitants" by Munther Mahmoud Jaber, though focusing on the post-1948 period, traces the history of the Lebanese-Israeli border and the "Good Strip" concept, where Zionists allied with Lebanese militias like Saad Haddad's. Jaber details the significance of various border definitions and their implications for the ongoing conflict.