Prior to 1982, the international boundary line with Lebanon has never been challenged by either side. However, when the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) redeployed itself in southern Lebanon after being expelled from Jordan in 1970 and perpetrated repeated terrorist actions against the towns and villages of northern part of Israel called the Galilee, which caused many casualties and much damage. In June 1982 a Palestinian terrorist group led by Abu Nidal carried out an assassination attempt on Israel's Ambassador to Great Britain, Shlomo Argov (which has left him crippled and hospitalized ever since). In retaliation, the IDF attacked Lebanon to wipe out PLO terrorist bases in the south of Lebanon. A series of operations was very successful. "Operation Peace for Galilee" resulted in removing the bulk of the PLO's organizational and military infrastructure from the area. Since then, Israel has maintained a tiny security zone in southern Lebanon adjacent to its northern border to safeguard its population in Galilee against continued attacks by the Hezbollah (supported financially and military by Syria, Iran and the PLO), Popular Front for Liberation of Palestine (which is officially recognized as a part of the PLO) and other terrorist organizations.
