BEIRUT: The village of Maroun al-Ras became Sunday the sight of the latest in a long series of border clashes as Israeli troops fired on Palestinian protesters, killing 11 and wounding more than 100.
Since Israel first invaded south Lebanon in 1978, the Lebanese-Israeli border has been fraught with tension. Here is a chronology of key events on the border.
March 1978 – Israel invades with 25,000 troops and occupies south Lebanon (except for Tyre) on March 14, in retaliation for a PLO attack inside Israel. On March 19, United Nations Security Council Resolution 425 calls on Israel to withdraw from Lebanese territory and creates the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon.
UNIFIL’s task is to verify Israel’s withdrawal from Lebanon, keep peace and help the Lebanese government establish control over its territory.
June 1978 – Israel withdraws from Lebanon and leaves the territory it had occupied to the South Lebanon Army.
June 1982 – Israel invades Lebanon in reprisal against the PLO for the attempted assassination of its ambassador to the U.K.. The attempted assassination was carried out by the Abu Nidal Organization, a Palestinian faction that was not part of the PLO.
May 1983 – The Lebanese and Israeli governments sign a peace deal to create a “security zone” on Lebanon’s southern border, to be patrolled by both armies, in exchange for Israeli withdrawal. Israel does not withdraw and the Lebanese government aborts the deal.
June 1985 – Most Israeli troops leave Lebanon, but some continue to occupy its “security zone.”
July 1993 – Israel launches a seven day attack on Lebanon using aircraft, artillery and ships. It says that it is responding to rocket attacks by Hezbollah and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command (PFLP-GC).
April 1996 – Israel bombs parts of Beirut, the Bekaa, and southern Lebanon following Hezbollah shelling of Israel. Israel hits a U.N. base at Qana, killing more than 100 civilians. Israel and Lebanon sign a ceasefire agreement April 27 that stipulates they will cease attacks on civilians.
May 2000 – Israel pulls its troops from south Lebanon May 25, six weeks ahead of its announced July deadline for withdrawal.
October 2000 - Hezbollah captures three Israeli soldiers in a raid in the occupied region of the Shebaa Farms
January 2004 – Hezbollah fires rockets at an armored Israeli bulldozer after it crosses the Blue Line. Israel bombs two Hezbollah bases.
July 2006 – Israel strikes Lebanon from air, land and sea after Hezbollah captures two Israeli soldiers in a cross-border raid.
August 2006 – By the time a truce comes into effect on August 14, around 1, 200 Lebanese have been killed, mostly civilians. 160 Israelis were killed, most of them soldiers. A beefed-up UNIFIL is deployed along the border, south of the Litani River.
September 2006 – Lebanese Army is deployed on the border.
August 2010 – Two Lebanese soldiers, a Lebanese journalist and an Israeli army officer killed in clashes near the village of Adaysseh. The Lebanese Army says it fired when Israeli soldiers crossed into Lebanon. UNIFIL and Israel say Israel was on its side of the Blue Line.