Wadi al-Hujeir
| Wadi al-Hujeir | |
|---|---|
 Part of Wadi al-Hujeir as seen from Ghanduriyah, Bint Jbeil in 2023 | |
| Area | 26 km2 (10 sq mi) |
| Naming | |
| Native name | وادي الحجير (Arabic) |
| Geography | |
| Country | Lebanon |
Wadi al-Hujeir (Arabic: وادي الحجير) is a valley and nature reserve in Jabal Amil, across the Nabatieh, Bint Jbeil and Marjeyoun districts of Southern Lebanon.[1][2]
The valley holds a strategic value in the Israeli–Lebanese conflict.[3] In the 2006 war, it was labeled the "Merkava graveyard", as Hezbollah destroyed 39[4] tanks in the area.[5][6]
Wadi al-Hujeir was announced a nature reserve by law in 2010,[7] over an area of 26 km2.[8] It is characterized by the presence of ancient olive trees, with some as old as 300 years,[9] Valonia oak forests,[10] as well as an emerging carob plantation.[11]
History
[edit]1920 conference
[edit]In the wake of the French occupation of Lebanon and Syria in 1920, a conference of anti-French revolutionaries, led by Abd al-Husayn Sharaf al-Din, was held in Wadi al-Hujeir.[12] The conference called for resistance against the French colonial forces and participation in the Arab Revolt.[13] Sharaf al-Din also emphasized the importance of unity and respect between Christians and Muslims.[14]
In the final days of the 2006 war, a battle was fought across the Saluki stream and Wadi al-Hujeir, as part of Operation Change of Direction 11. Hezbollah halted the advance of Israeli troops towards the Litani river. The IDF suffered 33 deaths, several dozens of injured soldiers in addition to the destruction of several Merkava tanks.[15]
References
[edit]- ^ "وادي الحجير". www.itihadjabalamel.com. Retrieved 2024-10-26.
- ^ karenkaram (2016-11-29). "The Valley of Many Names". 365 Days of Lebanon. Retrieved 2024-10-26.
- ^ "وادي السلوقي في جنوب لبنان .. أثر طبيعي وتاريخي يشهد على محطات كبرى". إرم نيوز (in Arabic). Retrieved 2024-10-26.
- ^ حاتم أبو سارة (July 2021). "» الإسرائيلي « الجغرافيا السياسية وإشكالية الوجود: Arab Future". Arab Future (509): 25–44.
- ^ "ميركافا.. الدبابة الإسرائيلية التي قهرتها المقاومة". الجزيرة نت (in Arabic). Retrieved 2024-10-26.
- ^ "مقبرة "الميركافا": هكذا "اقتنعت" إسرائيل بوقف الحرب".
- ^ "وادي الحجير: نحو حماية للمحمية". 2021-09-25. Archived from the original on 2021-09-25. Retrieved 2024-10-26.
- ^ "دير سريان والقنطرة جارتا "وادي الحجير": أرض المياه والطيبة".
- ^ COMPU-VISION. "محمية وادي الحجير... وجهة طبيعية وتراثية في الجنوب اللبناني". AL AKHBAR CANADA. Retrieved 2024-10-26.
- ^ "Wadi Al Hujair Nature Reserve in Lebanon". guide.moovtoo.com. 2023-05-07. Retrieved 2024-10-26.
- ^ "وادي الحجير يقطف خروبه والموسم يضيع في القرى الحدودية". مناطق نت (in Arabic). 2024-09-12. Retrieved 2024-10-26.
- ^ "مؤتمر وادي الحجير.. من تاريخ جبل عامل الضائع". مناطق نت (in Arabic). 2023-10-10. Retrieved 2024-10-26.
- ^ al-Amin, Hazem (2024-02-26). "Israeli Raids Rekindle Memories of War in South Lebanon". New Lines Magazine. Retrieved 2024-10-26.
- ^ "102 Years after the Hujair Conference: When the A'amelis voted for the option of resistance". TheAltWorld. 2022-04-28. Retrieved 2024-10-26.
- ^ "'Why Did These Soldiers Die?'". Haaretz.