Yad LeBanim: IDF's 1982 op should be declared a war

Bereaved families was Operation Peace for Galilee's name officially changed to 'First Lebanon War'

Yossi Yehoshua|Published: 01.25.12 , 11:21

Yad LeBanim, the association of the families of fallen soldiers of Israel Defense and Security Forces appealed to Defense Minister Ehud Barak and Minister Stas Misezhnikov (Yisrael Beiteinu), who heads the Ministerial Committee on Symbols and Ceremonies, to officially rename Operation Peace for Galilee the "First Lebanon War."

Israel will mark the 30th anniversary of the operation, which began in 1982 and ended in 2000, later this year.

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"Following requests by many bereaved families the organization decided to appeal to the Ministerial Committee on Symbols and Ceremonies and ask that it order the operation's name changed on the record," Yedioth Ahronoth quoted the organization's appeal, Wednesday.

Menachem Begin at Beau Fort southern Lebanon in 1982

"The period in question claimed the lives of thousands of IDF soldiers and was for all intents and purposes a war," the appeal said.

Operation Peace for Galilee is colloquially referred to as the Lebanon War.

Yad Lebanim Chairman Eli Ben Shem, who signed the petition, stressed that the name change bears no budgetary meaning for the organization, but is rather meant to "right a historic wrong."

"The name change will right a historic wrong and will not affect our budget; but it will, however, have the utmost significance as far as honoring the fallen… No medal and no commendation will return those lost in that war to their families, but and official recognition by the State that they was casualties of war will afford them the honor hey deserve," he wrote in the appeal.

"I see no reason to decline the request," Ben Shem told Yedioth Ahronoth. "It makes no sense to have the 'Second Lebanon War' if there's no official 'First' war. This speaks to values and for the bereaved parents and families that's everything."