Historical Roots of Israeli Calls to Occupy Southern Lebanon Up to the Litani River

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 04:14:00 +0200

A group of hawkish Israeli politicians, including 18 lawmakers and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, has called for Israel to occupy and potentially annex southern Lebanon up to the Litani River, including evacuating local populations. These demands come amid Israel's ongoing military campaign against Hezbollah, despite a ceasefire announced by President Donald Trump on April 7, 2026, intended to cover Lebanon as well. The article, written by a Middle East studies scholar, traces these expansionist ideas back to early Zionist leaders before Israel's founding in 1948. David Ben-Gurion and Chaim Weizmann advocated for borders extending north to the Litani River, citing strategic and resource needs. The Litani provides a major water source, and control could also relate to broader resource interests like Mediterranean natural gas fields. Historically, Israel annexed seven southern Lebanese villages in 1948, conducted Operation Litani in 1978, and maintained an occupation until 2000. Bord