Mona Khalil, a Lebanese marine activist who dedicated decades to protecting a turtle nesting site near her home, has died from injuries sustained in an Israeli strike. She was 76.
Decades of conservation work
Khalil ran the Orange House Project sanctuary near the Mediterranean city of Tyre. She hosted volunteers to clean and monitor a mile-long beach and welcomed tourists to learn about conservation. During the Lebanese civil war (1975-1990), she moved to the Netherlands. She returned to her family land in 1999, where she encountered a turtle digging a nest. She painted the house orange to match the Dutch national color, symbolizing gratitude for refuge, and started a protection and ecotourism project for loggerhead and green sea turtles along Lebanon’s southern coast.
Attack and aftermath
An Israeli airstrike hit her house earlier this month, severely wounding Khalil. She 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. Foreign tourists had to coordinate with the Lebanese military to visit, as the bed and breakfast sat on land repeatedly invaded and occupied by Israel. Despite power cuts and lack of air conditioning, most reviews were glowing for the chance to witness hatching turtles.
Impact and legacy
Khalil’s efforts were initially resented by some locals, including property developers and fishers using dynamite fishing, which she successfully fought against. Her house was also hit during the 2006 war with Hezbollah. In a 2017 interview, she said she had not lost hope and would continue indefinitely. The Lebanese wildlife conservation group Green Southerners mourned her loss, stating: "Her work made her one of Lebanon’s most respected voices for marine conservation and biodiversity protection." The group condemned the attack, calling it "a stark reminder of the devastating toll that Israeli attacks continue to exact on civilians, environmental defenders, and the natural heritage they sought to protect." Live Love Beirut, an environment-focused social enterprise, said she will be "remembered through an incredible legacy" and that "her life was selfless and impactful."
