Operation Grapes of Wrath

In response to the escalation of Hizbullah's attacks on northern communities, IDF launched artillery and air attacks on infrastructure targets and at civilian population centers in southern Lebanon
Ynetnews

In early 1996, Hizbullah escalated its attacks against the IDF in the southern Lebanon security zone (a no-go zone determined by an earlier US-mediated ceasefire). When the IDF tried to respond to these attacks, Hizbullah fired Katyushas at Israel’s northern communities. In one such Katyusha attack, 38 Israeli civilians were wounded. This, in effect, was the last straw, setting the stage for Operation Grapes of Wrath.

On April 11, 1996, following a government decision, the IDF launched artillery and air attacks on infrastructure targets and at civilian population centers in southern Lebanon. With the support of the navy, a naval blockade was imposed on the Lebanese coast from Tyre to Beirut. The goal was to cause the Lebanese residents to flee northward, thus coercing the Lebanese and Syrian governments to rein in Hizbullah.

Furthermore, during the course of the campaign, Hizbullah targets across Lebanon were destroyed (including in the capital city of Beirut). Despite the heavy shooting and the intensive IAF activity, the IDF was unable to prevent Katyushas from being fired from Lebanon. Hundreds of Katyushas rained down on northern Israeli communities, and residents were forced to remain in bomb shelters throughout the fighting.

Wary of international criticism, Israel planned the operation in a manner which would minimize civilian losses.

On April 18, an IDF unit operating near Kfar Qana, south of Sidon, came under heavy fire. During the rescue attempt, an artillery shell was fired in the direction of the enemy fire. The shell hit a UN post in Kfar Qana where dozens of villagers were being sheltered. Approximately 100 Lebanese civilians were killed, and dozens were wounded.

International condemnation swiftly followed. Images of the dead and wounded were broadcast around the world, and Israel was placed under intense pressure to end the operation, although its objectives had not yet been achieved.

Shortly after the Kfar Qana incident, the Americans mediated negotiations between Israel and Syrian-Lebanese representatives, who operated in conjunction with Hizbullah. Following several days of negotiations, the two sides signed the Grapes of Wrath Understandings on April 26, 1996. Both sides agreed that civilians should not be targeted. In practice, this meant that Hizbullah agreed to cease firing Katyushas into Israel, and the IDF obligated itself to refrain from targeting civilians in southern Lebanon. Also, an international monitoring committee comprised of American, French, Syrian, Lebanese and Israeli representatives was set up to ensure that the understandings were observed.

Many claimed that the understandings seemed to imply that Israel recognized Hizbullah’s right to target IDF soldiers within the security zone.

A public storm raged within Israel over the understandings and over the original operation itself. Critics asserted that the operation was destined for failure from the start and that the expected international pressure forced Israel to accept severe limitations on its movements without gaining anything in return.

In addition, opponents said that the upcoming elections were the only reason that then-Prime Minister Shimon Peres agreed to the defense leadership's request to launch the operation.

Like the agreement following Operation Accountability in 1993, the Grapes of Wrath Understandings did not stand the test of time. Not long afterwards, both sides began submitting complaints to the monitoring committee. However, the committee showed itself to be irrelevant and unable to enforce the agreement.