Maronite Christians

Sunni

Shi’a Muslims

Druze

initial stability

regionalize theconflict, notably in the south, where Israel began to take a far greater interest inLebanese affairs

Under continued internationalpressure, Syria withdrew all of its military forces from Lebanon in 2005.

its first major militaryoffensive in Lebanon

an effort to drive Palestinian militants back from the borderand keep Syrian influence at bay.

Hizbullah remained the sole militant group from the civil war era

preserve or defend what it sawas the national character of Lebanon, namely the pre-war character where Christiansheld the most important positions in a confessional system of government.

” to prevent attacks on Israel by Palestinian militantsand (after their expulsion) by Hizbullah

150-200 minors/1500 soldiers

14yo

some members received up to US$ 600 per month

a more formal system ofrecruitment came into place

the SLA returned to forcible recruitment of adults and children to maintain troop numbers, as it had done in the late 1970s

17 - the minimum age ofrecruitment

israel and SLA failed to “respect international humanitarian law"

Consequences

child recruitment as a major concern inits reports on South Lebanon

children as victims of attacks by the SLA and Israeli forces

campaigning for allsides to respect the protected status of civilians

presented the problem of 'forcible child recruitment'

lNGOs focused their attention on the issue of childrecruitment by the SLA at a relatively late stage in the conflict, when Israel was closeto withdrawing its troops from the area and when the SLA itself was in disarray

key political powers at that time to take effective actionagainst serious human rights violations

hold Israel to account

limitedexternal access to South Lebanon by governmental and non-governmentalorganizations

international NGOs missedan opportunity to campaign and take action against child recruitment

the international humanitarian community had very little impact on events in the SLA