tasked with assassinating Lahad. Bechara disguised herself as an aerobics instructor to visit with Lahad's family. On November 7, 1988, while she was having tea with Lahad's wife, he returned home. Bechara shot him twice in the chest. She was detained by his security team. Lahad spent eight weeks in the hospital and suffered health complications leaving his left arm paralyzed. Upon his return to service he pardoned and released Souha Bechara after the Lebanese and French government pleaded with him to do so, and after she spent ten years in Khiam prison and suffered six years of solitary confinement in a tiny cell. Israeli withdrawal When Israel withdrew from southern Lebanon in 2000, Lahad was determined to carry on against Hezbollah. He pleaded for support from Israel: SLA collapse Lahad never received the support he asked for, and the SLA collapsed following Israel's withdrawal. At the time, Lahad was in Paris trying to convince the French authorities to send troops to replace his army because he always wanted and supported the peaceful implementation of the UN resolution 425. He came to Israel after the remainder of the SLA disintegrated. In Lebanon, Lahad was sentenced to death for treason in absentia in case he ever returned. In a meeting with the Israeli Government Coordinator, Uri Lubrani, in May 2000, Lahad expressed deep concern surrounding the appropriate treatment of SLA members who ended up in Israel following the withdrawal. Contrary to contemporary media reports, Lahad stated that Israeli Prime Minister, Ehud Barak, had not tricked him. He highlighted the importance of his country's cooperation with Israel and cited the United Nations Security Council resolution 425 as a legitimate reason for Barak's withdrawal of Israeli armed forces. Lubrani assured Lahad that SLA members would receive appropriate treatment and thanked him and his men for their "long struggle for peace". Soon afterwards Lahad went to France to meet up with his family. Despite having family members living in France, the French authorities denied him permission to live in the country. Retirement to Israel and death After being refused the right to settle in France, Lahad moved to Israel. He released a Hebrew language autobiography in 2004, entitled, In the Midst of a Storm: An Autobiography. In November 2006, Lahad had an interview with Ynet. He asserted his opinion that Syria was behind the assassination of Lebanese Industry Minister Pierre Amine Gemayel, In May