‘Again, Jews and SLA soldiers fall side by side’ – Unknown story of Lebanese who fled to Israel 24 years ago

Two Israeli citizens were killed by a rocket fired from Lebanon in Nahariya on Tuesday, one of whom has a history that reflects the complex and deeply rooted nature of Israeli-Lebanese relations.

Shimon Najem (54) was born in Lebanon, where he joined the South Lebanon Army (SLA) when the second civil war began tearing apart the country in the 1980s.

When Israel ended its troubled occupation of southern Lebanon in 2000, thousands of allied SLA soldiers and their families fled with the IDF, becoming refugees in Israel—among them Najem and his family.

“With the withdrawal of the IDF from southern Lebanon in May 2000, Shimon moved to Israel and has been living in Nahariya ever since,” said the SLA Families Association after his death.

“Shimon's life was not an easy life, but he always had a zest for life and wished for the best,” the statement continued.

Najem was known as a quiet, introverted man who ran a carpentry shop. A friend told Ynet News that Najem had expressed his wishes for “Israel to destroy Hezbollah.”

“His dream was that there would already be peace, and he would be able to return and visit his friends in the village where he was born and raised in southern Lebanon,” he added.

Najem’s brother-in-law Hanna Nour said, “We have family there, we know that they forced an unnecessary war on the Lebanese people and destroyed the entire country.”

“This missile does not differentiate between blood and blood, as former Lebanese and Israelis, we have been looking at this situation for 24 years and say that it is lucky that we are on the right side. I want to emphasize that most Lebanese do not want wars with Israel. Our family is paying a very heavy price, Shimon is gone and it's very sad.”

Today, around 3,500 soldiers and families of the SLA are estimated to remain in Israel, down from some 6,000 who initially fled to Israel.

They left behind homes and property when their positions collapsed amid the hurried Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon, ordered by Prime Minister Ehud Barak in 2000.

Those who remained in Israel received Israeli citizenship, and today live in many of the northern communities, particularly in Nahariya, Kiryat Shmona, Tiberias, Ma’alot-Tarshiha, and Haifa.

The SLA was a Christian-dominated militia formed with Israeli support during Lebanon's Civil War in the 1970s. It fought alongside the IDF against Muslim militias, the PLO, and later Hezbollah.

The militia was composed of Christians, Druze, and some Shia Muslims, with its base in the southern town of Marjayoun. Following the IDF's invasion of southern Lebanon in 1978, the SLA's territory expanded significantly, prompting its commander to proclaim a brief "Independent Free Lebanon" in the region.

At the time, the SLA was partially integrated into the IDF's command structure, receiving weapons, equipment, and salaries from Israel. For some years, they even hosted the Christian radio station Voice of Hope, established by evangelist George Otis, whose High Adventure Ministries also established Middle East Television.

The TV station later joined CBN and moved to Cyprus, while Voice of Hope's Middle East station is now based in Jerusalem.

When the IDF retreated from southern Lebanon, it initially intended to hand over its positions to the SLA. However, they were overrun by Hezbollah fighters, who have controlled southern Lebanon since that time.

“History repeats itself. As it happened in the past, once again the SLA soldiers and Jews fall side by side, under a common threat. But this time, on the land of the State of Israel,” the SLA Families Association stated after Najem’s death.

“Our struggle continues, a struggle of common destiny, brotherhood and unfortunately also of blood. Our story is a story of heroism and sacrifice written in blood and will forever be etched in the history books.”