Antoine Lahad
| Antoine Lahad | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Born | 1927 Al Qattara, Lebanon |
| Died | 10 September 2015 Paris, France |
| Service/branch | South Lebanon Army |
| Rank | General |
Antoine Lahad (1927 – 10 September 2015) was the leader of the South Lebanon Army (SLA) from 1984 until 2000, until the latter withdrew from Southern Lebanon and the SLA was dissolved.
Born into a Maronite Catholic family in 1927 in the village of Kfar Qatra. He graduated from the Lebanese Military Academy in 1952.
Lahad took control of the SLA in 1984, following the death of Saad Haddad the founder of the SLA. After several meetings with many political leaders in Lebanon from all religions he agreed to take on the problematic south because his career and stature would allow him to hold together an army from all the Lebanese religions. Lahad was a Lebanese Army major general who was close to the Lebanese President, Camille Chamoun, a Maronite.
While commanding the SLA General Lahad formed three regiments mainly from Druze, Shia and Christians who fought together to take back control of Lebanese territory from all the Palestinian factions who controlled much of southern Lebanon. During his service he never cut contact with the capital and all leaders from all political factions and religions kept visiting him asking him for help on several matters. He re-instated the salaries of the Lebanese army soldiers in the south which had previously been cut off. He built three major hospitals in Hasbaya, Marjyoun and Nabatieh and rejuvenated the economy of southern Lebanon which was historically left to its own devices by all Lebanese central governments.
After stabilizing the south the conflict with Hezbollah took center stage, until the unilateral withdrawal of Israel from southern Lebanon. It is worth noting that the whole withdrawal happened without a single shot being fired or any casualties being recorded on either the Israeli or the Hezbollah side.
Lahad was condemned to death by Hezbollah following Israel’s occupation of southern Lebanon. Men were required to sign written pledges not to visit with Lahad or his people if they were traveling into southern Lebanon. His headquarters at Marjayoun, which flew an Israeli flag flanked by two flags of Lebanon. Also in the compound was the Pat Robertson CBN broadcast center.
In 1988, Souha Bechara, a 21-year-old woman, tried to assassinate Lahad. She had been raised in the Eastern Orthodox Church and had become a member of the Communist party. She was tasked with assassinating Lahad. Bechara disguised herself as an aerobics instructor to visit with Lahad’s family. On November 17, 1988 while she was having tea with Lahad’s wife, he returned home. Bechara shot him twice in the chest. She was detained by his security team. Lahad spent eight weeks in the hospital and suffered health complications leaving his left arm paralyzed. Upon his return to service he pardoned and released Souha Bechara after the Lebanese and French government pleaded with him to do so.
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