Souha Bechara
Encyclopedia
Souha Fawaz Bechara also spelled Souha Bechara or Soha Bechara (Arabic : سهى فواز بشارة) (born 1967) is a Lebanese
woman who, at the age of twenty one, attempted to assassinate General Antoine Lahad
of the South Lebanon Army
. Lahad survived the assassination
whereas Bechara was quickly arrested and held in the infamous Khiam prison
, during which time she was repeatedly tortured. She was finally released in 1998, following an intense Lebanese, Europe
an, and even Israel
i campaign in her favour. In 2003, her autobiography
— Resistance: My Life for Lebanon — where she relates her life in Lebanon before and after the assassination, was published. In 2011, Souha Bechara published another book, translated as "I dream of a cell of cherries" which is another autobiography
, as a co-author with Cosette Elias Ibrahim, a Lebanese
journalist who was also detained in the Khiam prison
, and who was liberated on the 22nd of May 2000, when Israel pulled out of the south of Lebanon and the South Lebanon Army
forces abandoned the Khiam prison
.
Parts of her story were used in the 2010 film Incendies
.
, Lebanon
and raised in a Eastern Orthodox family. Her father, Fawaz Bechara, is a member of the Lebanese Communist Party
, which Souha Bechara herself also joined secretly in 1982, the year in which Israel invaded Lebanon and was active within the bodies of the party, its resistance front Jammoul
and also in Union of Lebanese Democratic Youth
.
Souha Bechara left college in 1987 and joined militant activities in Lebanon. She was given the task of assassinating Lahad. Consequently, she headed south, introduced herself to Lahad's family as an aerobics instructor to his wife Minerva. Gradually, she familiarised herself with the family's members and visited them continually.
In the evening of the operation, 17 November 1988, Lahad's wife invited Bechara for tea. Bechara accepted the invitation and stayed until Lahad's arrival. As she was packing her belongings and leaving, Bechara twice shot Lahad with a 5.45 mm revolver. He was shot once in the chest and once in the shoulder, then Bechara threw the gun away before his body guards arrested her.
Lahad was rushed to hospital and Bechara was detained by the security guards in the house.
He spent eight weeks in hospital, suffering serious health complications. His left arm was paralysed.
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
woman who, at the age of twenty one, attempted to assassinate General Antoine Lahad
Antoine Lahad
Antoine Lahad a Lebanese general, was the leader of the South Lebanon Army from 1984 until 2000, when Israel withdrew from Southern Lebanon and the SLA was dissolved....
of the South Lebanon Army
South Lebanon Army
The South Lebanon Army , also "South Lebanese Army," was a Lebanese militia during the Lebanese Civil War. After 1979, the militia operated in southern Lebanon under the authority of Saad Haddad's Government of Free Lebanon...
. Lahad survived the assassination
Assassination
To carry out an assassination is "to murder by a sudden and/or secret attack, often for political reasons." Alternatively, assassination may be defined as "the act of deliberately killing someone, especially a public figure, usually for hire or for political reasons."An assassination may be...
whereas Bechara was quickly arrested and held in the infamous Khiam prison
Khiam detention center
The Khiam Detention Center, located near Khiam, Lebanon, was a French barrack complex originally built in the 1930s. It became a base for the Lebanese army before falling under control of the South Lebanon Army and in 1985 was converted into a prison camp...
, during which time she was repeatedly tortured. She was finally released in 1998, following an intense Lebanese, Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an, and even Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i campaign in her favour. In 2003, her autobiography
Autobiography
An autobiography is a book about the life of a person, written by that person.-Origin of the term:...
— Resistance: My Life for Lebanon — where she relates her life in Lebanon before and after the assassination, was published. In 2011, Souha Bechara published another book, translated as "I dream of a cell of cherries" which is another autobiography
Autobiography
An autobiography is a book about the life of a person, written by that person.-Origin of the term:...
, as a co-author with Cosette Elias Ibrahim, a Lebanese
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
journalist who was also detained in the Khiam prison
Khiam detention center
The Khiam Detention Center, located near Khiam, Lebanon, was a French barrack complex originally built in the 1930s. It became a base for the Lebanese army before falling under control of the South Lebanon Army and in 1985 was converted into a prison camp...
, and who was liberated on the 22nd of May 2000, when Israel pulled out of the south of Lebanon and the South Lebanon Army
South Lebanon Army
The South Lebanon Army , also "South Lebanese Army," was a Lebanese militia during the Lebanese Civil War. After 1979, the militia operated in southern Lebanon under the authority of Saad Haddad's Government of Free Lebanon...
forces abandoned the Khiam prison
Khiam detention center
The Khiam Detention Center, located near Khiam, Lebanon, was a French barrack complex originally built in the 1930s. It became a base for the Lebanese army before falling under control of the South Lebanon Army and in 1985 was converted into a prison camp...
.
Parts of her story were used in the 2010 film Incendies
Incendies
Incendies is a 2010 Quebec film written and directed by Denis Villeneuve. Adapted from Wajdi Mouawad's play, Scorched, Incendies follows the journey of twin brother and sister as they attempt to unravel the mystery of their mother's life. The film premiered at the Venice and Toronto Film Festivals...
.
Early life
Souha Bechara was born in Deir MimasDeir Mimas
Deir Mimas is a picturesque town 88 km southeast of Beirut in Lebanon. Named in honor of Saint Mamas, the town overlooks the Litani River and the medieval Beaufort Castle to the west and the snow-capped summits of Mount Hermon to the east.-Agriculture:In addition to the cultivation of grapes, and...
, Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
and raised in a Eastern Orthodox family. Her father, Fawaz Bechara, is a member of the Lebanese Communist Party
Lebanese Communist Party
The Lebanese Communist Party – LCP or Parti communiste libanais in French, is a communist political party in Lebanon...
, which Souha Bechara herself also joined secretly in 1982, the year in which Israel invaded Lebanon and was active within the bodies of the party, its resistance front Jammoul
Jammoul
The Lebanese National Resistance Front – LNRF or Front National de la Résistance Libanaise in French, but best known by its Arabic acronym, ‘Jammoul’ was an underground guerrilla alliance active in Lebanon in the 1980s...
and also in Union of Lebanese Democratic Youth
Union of Lebanese Democratic Youth
Union of Lebanese Democratic Youth also known as UJDL, the French abbreviation of "Union de la Jeunesse Démocratique Libanais".It is a Lebanese leftist secular democratic youth organization as it defines itself in its documents....
.
The attempted assassination
In the evening of the operation, 17 November 1988, Lahad's wife invited Bechara for tea. Bechara accepted the invitation and stayed until Lahad's arrival. As she was packing her belongings and leaving, Bechara twice shot Lahad with a 5.45 mm revolver. He was shot once in the chest and once in the shoulder, then Bechara threw the gun away before his body guards arrested her.
Lahad was rushed to hospital and Bechara was detained by the security guards in the house.
He spent eight weeks in hospital, suffering serious health complications. His left arm was paralysed.