Community activists at the Liberation Day celebration

DEARBORN — Amal Movement in the United States, Message of Hope USA, celebrated the 16th anniversary of liberating south Lebanon from the Israeli occupation on Wednesday.

Israeli forces occupied swathes of south Lebanon from 1982 until 2000. The Israeli army was driven out of Lebanon under the pressure of armed resistance that implemented guerrilla tactics to inflict losses on the occupiers. Many historians view Israel’s withdrawal as its most notable defeat by Arab forces in the history of the conflict.

Thousands of local Arab Americans hail from villages that were under the occupation, including Bint Jebail.

The Lebanese celebrate the Israeli withdrawals on
May 25.

On Wednesday, Message of Hope USA, organized a night of Jazal (traditional Lebanese poetry) at Adonis Restaurant and Banquet in honor of Liberation Day. 

Community members, organizations’ leaders and elected officials attended the event.

Hussein Elhaf, a representative of Amal Movement in the U.S., stressed the importance of unity and resistance.