The Israeli Strategy of Attrition in Lebanon: 1970-1972

ABSTRACT: Even the strong side can use a strategy of attrition, in order to reduce the adversary's will to fight. This is how Israel operated against Fatah in Lebanon from 1970-1972. The military effort matched Israel's qualitative material advantage and was also comfortable from the perspective of reducing casualties to our forces. Moreover, in the absence of a decisive option, a strategy of limited, yet still painful, actions gave Israel internal and external legitimacy. Also in light of the current challenges, the contention is that attrition constitutes a development to exploit our adversary's weaknesses by relying not only on military capabilities, but also, and principally, on the impressive stamina of the Israeli society and economy.

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