| IDF releases rare material for Lebanon War anniversary |
Of the materials released by the Israel Defense Forces and defense establishment: pictures of soldiers and officers in Lebanon, an hour-long movie recorded by IDF spokesperson between 1982 and 1984, and a part of the original report on the legendary battle of Beaufort.
Photo credit: IDF Archvies
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Then Defense Minister Ariel Sharon visiting Beaufort, scene of a bloody battle at the onset of the war.
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Photo credit: IDF Archvies
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Exactly 30 years to this day, the government headed by then Prime Minster Menachem Begin convened and decided to remove the terrorist rocket threat that was plaguing the northern communities. The operation to push the terrorists in Lebanon out of bombardment range of Israel was dubbed „Peace for the Galilee.”
The Israel Defense Forces released on Monday previously archived and rare materials for this year’s anniversary of the 1982 war now referred to as the „First Lebanon War”. (Israel fought a month-long war in Lebanon in 2006 as result of terrorist group Hezbollah’s ambush and kidnapping of two reservist soldiers.) Of the materials released by the IDF and defense establishment, pictures of soldiers and officers in Lebanon, an hour-long movie recorded by IDF spokesperson between 1982 and 1984, and a part of the original report written by Brig. Gen. (res) Dr. Dani Asher on the battle of Beaufort, in which the reconnaissance company of the Golani infantry brigade fought a bloody battle to capture the ancient fort.
In the movie, which begins with combat troops shown in the port of Beirut, members of the Israeli army brass are seen talking about the progression of the war. The battle for Beaufort was fought at the onset of the war and has become one of the most famous battles in Israeli military history. Six infantrymen including the reconnaissance company’s commander Maj. Goni Hernik, were killed in the battle in which nearly all fighters from the brigade took part in. Among its participants, Lt. Moti Goldman, former Deputy Chief of General Staff Maj. Gen. Moshe Kaplinsky, then an officer the unit, and Erez Gershstein, a young a platoon commander in the unit that was wounded in the fighting. Gershstein later became a legendary commander of the Lebanon Liaison Unit. He was killed in 1999 by a roadside bomb in Lebanon while on reserve duty.
The IDF released 14 of 120 pages from the original document, which detail some of the most dramatic moments in the battle. Goldman received the Medal of Courage after the battle.
