Iron Fist policy
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Operation Iron Fist | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
 Israel |
 AMAL (and others) al-Qiyada al-Muwhhada | ||||||
The Iron Fist policy,[1] also known as Operation Iron Fist,[2] was a policy involving series of raids carried out in 1985 by the Israeli Defence Force during the 1985–2000 South Lebanon conflict and First Intifada against Palestinian and Lebanese targets. The policy takes its name from a 1983 statement by Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhaq Shamir that "Middle East peoples should realize that if Israel is provoked, the hand extended in peace will turn into an iron fist that will strike at terrorism to the bitter end."[3]
In The Struggle Over Lebanon, journalist Tabitha Petran described the policy as an "important factor in Israel's defeat in the south and eventual withdrawal".[4]
Following Israel's 1982 invasion of Southern Lebanon the Israelis remained in occupation of Southern Lebanon. The Israel troops occupying Southern Lebanon became the target of various armed groups in Southern Lebanon that opposed their occupation. In retaliation for attacks on Israelis, the Israeli military launched retaliatory raids against those they believed responsible for these attacks whilst simultanoeously withdrawing to lines closer to the Israeli-Lebanese border.[3][5] The intent of the policy was to crush resistance to Israel's continued occupation in Southern Lebanon.[6]