____________________________________________ IICC Perspectives In a street conversation that morning while waiting for al-Mourabitoun to hand over their weapons, the 906th battalion commander boasted that during all the battles he had fought since the start of the war, including entering west Beirut, his battalion had not suffered a single loss. I reminded him what he had said and looked him right in the eye, and said, "I'm sure you want all your soldiers to return home safe and sound, but you know that urban fighting will have a heavy price. They shouldn't have to be killed fighting here." He was openly bewildered. "I don't understand what you're talking about, Shai, what do you want from me now?" he snapped angrily. "I'm asking you to give me another chance," I replied, "I want to send the messenger again, but this time with a letter from me in Arabic for the organization commander. I will offer him a surrender on the same terms we gave al-Mourabitoun. I'm sure something is happening at headquarters. Time has passed since our last attempt, and the tension and pressure on the people in headquarters is increasing. I'm sure there are differences of opinion among them and that some of them would prefer to surrender or leave instead of fighting. I think it's worth checking what the situation is there – we have nothing to lose." He said nothing, his face a picture of disbelief, and nodded goodbye to me. I was sure that was the end of the story. I understood him perfectly. After two failed attempts and shots fired at our messenger, sending him a third time sounded futile and hopeless. And besides, we were in a war situation. The war horses had been stamping in place for hours, eager for battle. Who would stop them? It was, therefore, easy to imagine my surprise when I was informed that the division had approved my proposal. Leaning on the roof of a parked car, with Abu Ibrahim's help, I drafted a short letter in Arabic. Addressed to the commander of the leftist force's organization in Beirut, Lt. Col. Omar Hussein Harb, it called on him to surrender to the IDF forces, and in return, neither he, his men, nor the civilian population would be harmed. I signed the letter in Arabic and English with my name and rank of Lieutenant Colonel. We silently prayed for the messenger's safe return as he rushed off for the third time. The tension was palpable. It was clear that another failure would mean combat. Only a few minutes passed, and the messenger came running back with the surprising news that the organization's commander and his men had abandoned the headquarters. Not only that, but some of the fighters had also left, and the few who remained were asking for time to consult their superiors in Beirut. A few minutes later, a man appeared up the street holding a white handkerchief. He identified himself as Abu Hassan, the organization's administrative and supply officer. He announced that all fighters at the headquarters had abandoned their positions and fled. The building was now totally empty. IDF forces as an insurance policy against acts of revenge Shortly afterward, the battalion's forces were ordered to prepare for combat, moving in two columns along the road leading to enemy headquarters. Halfway there, balconies on the high floors of the buildings on both sides of the road were suddenly filled with crowds. Hundreds of men, women, and children waved in peace as they showered us with rice and candy. It was truly delusional. Instead of a bloody battle, we were getting candy and cheers.
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