Israeli attack kills famed turtle sanctuary ecologist in Lebanon: Mona Khalil led decades-long effort to protect nesting site for turtles near her home in south of the country

Mona Khalil on the beach with a turtle in southern Lebanon in 2002. Photograph: Jihad Seqlawi/AFP/Getty Images

Oliver Holmes

Sat 20 Jun 2026 

The Lebanese marine activist Mona Khalil, who became a beloved figure in the country for a decades-long effort to protect a nesting site for turtles near her home, has died from injuries sustained in an Israeli strike.

Khalil, 76, ran a sanctuary called the Orange House Project near the Mediterranean city of Tyre. She hosted volunteers in her house to clean and monitor a mile-long beach and welcomed tourists to stay and learn about conservation.

An Israeli airstrike hit her house earlier this month, severely wounding Khalil, who was moved to an intensive-care unit in Beirut before succumbing to her injuries on Friday, according to friends. Her assistant, an Ethiopian woman, suffered burns but was recovering.

During the Lebanese civil war of 1975-90, Khalil moved to the Netherlands. She returned to her family’s land in 1999, where she had a chance encounter one evening with a turtle digging a nest in the sand on the beach.

Khalil painted the house orange to match the national colour of the Netherlands, which she said had given her refuge during a time of need, and started a protection and ecotourism project for loggerhead and green sea turtles that nest along Lebanon’s southern coast.

Foreign tourists had to coordinate their trip with the Lebanese military, as the bed and breakfast sat on land that Israel had repeatedly invaded and occupied. Those who managed to get permission would stay in Khalil’s idyllic home, with its flower-lined courtyard often filled with rescued dogs and cats. It is just a short walk through banana groves to the beach.

Regular power cuts and a lack of air-conditioning meant some visitors left unfavourable online reviews, although most were glowing as Khalil provided what other B&Bs could not – a chance to witness and help hatching turtles and to take part in protecting their vulnerable populations... READ MORE  https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jun/20/mona-khalil-turtle-ecologist-lebanon-killed-israeli-attack?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other

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Dutch intelligence report identifies Israel as a foreign threat for first time. Israel conducted disinformation campaigns to influence public opinion and politics in the Netherlands, says report by security and counter-terrorism agency. The report also voiced concerns over mounting threats from both Israel and the US toward the International Criminal Court in The Hague

The report also voiced concerns over mounting threats from both Israel and the US toward the International Criminal Court in The Hague, pictured in November 2024 (Laurens van Putten/AFP)

MIDDLE EAST EYE

By MEE staff

Published date: 28 July 2025 14:37 BST 

The Netherlands has named Israel as a foreign threat to the country's national security for the first time, citing disinformation campaigns endangering the lives of Dutch citizens.

A report published by the National Coordinator for Security and Counter-terrorism (NCTV) says that Israel attempted to influence public opinion and politics in the country by circulating documents directly to Dutch journalists and politicians instead of using the official diplomatic channels. 

The alleged disinformation campaign occurred after the clashes that followed the football match between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv in Amsterdam last November. 

Close to 30 people were wounded as Israeli fans were caught on video vandalising property, threatening and assaulting people, as well as chanting racist, anti-Arab slogans. 

The Israeli authorities branded the riots as antisemitic and ordered two rescue planes to the Netherlands to evacuate the fans.

A week later, the mayor of Amsterdam, Femke Halsema, took back her comments describing the violence as a "pogrom", saying that Israel "bypassed" Dutch authorities regarding the details of the events and their framing.

The NCTV report said that the document circulated by Israel-affiliated agencies also contained "unusual and unwanted personal details" about Dutch citizens. The country's ministries of justice, security and foreign affairs warned that these individuals could face threats, harassment and even physical attacks.

The NCTV further voiced concerns over mounting threats from both Israel and the US toward the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague. The report said that this could potentially disrupt the court’s work.

Last year, the ICC issued arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant over their role in alleged war crimes in Gaza and the occupied Palestinian territories.

The court has since faced significant pressure from the US and Israel to drop the investigation.

The Netherlands hosts key international legal institutions, such as the International Court of Justice, and bears a special responsibility to protect them from external influence. 

The NCTV  report comes as the Dutch government - a traditional Israeli ally - has become increasingly critical of the country over its war on Gaza and the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the besieged enclave.

Along with Ireland and Spain, the Netherlands has urged the European Union to reevaluate its ties with Israel due to its war on Gaza, accusing the country of violating the human rights provisions in the EU-Israel association agreement.

In February 2024, The Hague court of appeals ordered the Dutch government to stop the export of F-35 fighter jet components to Israel.

The court raised concerns that the weapons may be used to breach international humanitarian law.

However, despite the court’s decision, there have been reports that the Netherlands is still supporting the supply chain of Israel’s version of the F-35 fighter jet.

https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/netherlands-intelligence-report-identifies-israel-foreign-threat 

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