Ben-Gurion considered Lebanon "the weakest link in the Arab coalition" on account of its fragile internal equilibrium, making it "easy to contest the domination of the Muslims, which was artificial." The objective should be "to establish a Christian state whose southern border would run along the Litani river," to be ratified by a treaty. (Since 1907, Zionist leaders had looked to extend Eretz Israel northward to include the hyd0rstrategic Litani River Basin, predominantly inhabited by Shi'a Muslims.)

from Plowshares into Swords: From Zionism to Israel by Arno Mayer, Verso press, 2008