Shib'a Farms Dispute and Its Implications (CRS Report for Congress)
Premium Purchase PDF for $24.95 (18 pages)
add to cart or
subscribe for unlimited access
Pro Premium subscribers have free access to our full library of CRS reports.
Subscribe today, or
request a demo to learn more.
| Release Date |
Aug. 7, 2001 |
| Report Number |
RL31078 |
| Report Type |
Report |
| Authors |
Alfred B. Prados, Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade Division |
| Source Agency |
Congressional Research Service |
Summary:
Israel's withdrawal from southern Lebanon in May 2000 left several small but sensitive
territorial
issues unresolved, notably, a roughly 10 square mile enclave at the southern edge of the
Lebanese-Syrian border known as the Shib'a Farms. Israel did not evacuate this enclave,
arguing
that it is not Lebanese territory but rather is a part of the Syrian Golan Heights, which Israel occupied
in 1967. Lebanon, supported by Syria, asserts that this territory is part of Lebanon and should have
been evacuated by Israel when the latter abandoned its self-declared security zone in May 2000. On
June 16, 2000, the U.N. Secretary General informed the Security Council that the requirement for
Israel to withdraw from Lebanon had been met. The Secretary General pointed out, however, that
the U.N. determination does not prejudice the rights of Syria and Lebanon to agree on an
international boundary in the future.
This obscure enclave has become a focal point for tensions in the Lebanese-Israeli-Syrian
border area in the aftermath of Israel's withdrawal from southern Lebanon. Neither the
Lebanese
Armed Forces nor the U.N. Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has established an effective presence
in the border territory vacated by Israel in 2000. The Lebanese Shi'ite Muslim militia
Hizballah,
which had spearheaded a guerrilla war against Israeli forces in Lebanon, has continued to mount
raids against Israeli forces in the Shib'a Farms area. Israel blames Syria, which maintains
over
20,000 troops in Lebanon, for tolerating or inciting the Hizballah attacks and has retaliated against
Syrian military installations in Lebanon. As these clashes continue, observers fear that they could
escalate into a higher level of conflict.
There are various alternatives that might break the cycle of violence centered on the
Shib'a
Farms area: wider deployment of the Lebanese Armed Forces or UNIFIL, a formal Lebanese-Syrian
border agreement confirming Lebanese sovereignty over the Shib'a Farms, or Israeli
withdrawal
from the Shib'a Farms area. All of these would require Syrian and Israeli concurrence,
which does
not seem likely at this time. Syria may see continued tension over the Shib'a Farms as a
means of
keeping pressure on Israel to end its occupation of the Golan Heights territory. Israel, on its part, is
probably wary of taking any steps that might strengthen the position of Syria or Hizballah in
southeastern Lebanon.
The Shib'a Farms area remains a source of tension and potential risk. Beyond its small
size and
limited strategic value, the Shib'a Farms area has become yet another symbol of the
intractability of
broader Arab-Israeli issues. If unresolved, it could lead to an increase in tensions and localized
conflict that would further complicate U.S. efforts to bring peace to the region.
