“Israel” Ten years later: "Lebanon still haunts us"

Lebanon is still celebrating the first decade of the "Israeli" withdrawal from South Lebanon that took place in May, 2000. This event is not only important in Lebanon; it apparently has its own effect in "Israel", only rather than celebrating they express grief.

Many "Israeli" analysts (be it in articles or television stations) expressed their opinion about this day, and its drastic effect it had on the strength of "Israel" in the Middle East.
A military analyst on the "Israeli" channel 10 television station, Alon Bin-David, stated that after the withdrawal in 2000 Hizbullah only became stronger and changed the equation in the area completely.

"Ten years ago, in a morning like this, we closed the gate separating us from Lebanon, hoping Hizbullah and Lebanon stay behind it" Bin-David stated while expressing the withdrawal 10 years ago, only to continue in saying "But this guerilla organization transformed into a legendary force in the Middle East ... from a local guerilla organization we've created a monster!"

This is not only Bin-David's concern, Ephraim Sneh, a former cabinet minister and a deputy minister, also had a long and thorough writing in HAARTZ official website revealing why 10 years from now he was against the "Israeli" withdrawal from South Lebanon.

"The proponents of withdrawal argued that it (the withdrawal) would deny Hizbullah the pretext of "fighting the "Israeli" occupation," and would bring about an end to the organization's military operations ... The Second Lebanon War, which broke out on July 12, 2006, decided the argument six years later.

The cost of the temporary calm was Hizbullah's propitious opening conditions. Our dead in that war numbered six times more than the annual average in the final years we were present in Lebanon"

Sneh also admitted about the "Israeli" repercussions after its withdrawal, one of which was "Israelis" figure in the Middle East which changed completely from being an undefeated army into a weak army who "run away from places where we bleed" as Sneh put it. The former cabinet member also found the withdrawal to be a glimpse of hope for the Palestinians which was translated it into the second Intifada in 2000.

The Jerusalem post also had its share of grieving on this special day, where it stated that the "Israeli" politicians opposing the withdrawal disliked the "the way it was done - hastily and in the middle of the night ... "Israel", was perceived as running away from Lebanon due to its military losses and ultimately gave Hizbullah their first victory" and the withdrawal also "allowed Hizbullah to continue building up an army and rocket arsenal that it would later face off against in the Second Lebanon War in 2006"

Nowadays the "Israeli" worries are far greater than they were after the withdrawal in the year 2000, especially after their second defeat in summer 2006, and after Hizbullah's formation of a military museum in Mleeta in the current year.

"Today Hizbullah's strength is several times greater than it was in the summer of 2006, certainly far greater than it was in May 2000" Ephraim Sneh.

"Ten years later this withdrawal only let us further away from peace. We tried to run away from Lebanon, yet Lebanon still haunts us" Alon Bin-David
If this is the "Israeli" reaction after two defeats, the third one must be the end of the "Israeli assumed state".