Mona Khalil, the Lebanese marine activist who dedicated decades to protecting a turtle nesting site near her home, has died from injuries sustained in an Israeli airstrike. She was 76.
A Life of Conservation
Khalil ran the Orange House Project, a sanctuary near the Mediterranean city of Tyre. She hosted volunteers in her home to clean and monitor a mile-long beach, and welcomed tourists to stay and learn about conservation. Her efforts focused on loggerhead and green sea turtles that nest along Lebanon's southern coast.
During the Lebanese civil war (1975-1990), Khalil moved to the Netherlands. She returned to her family's land in 1999, where she encountered a turtle digging a nest on the beach. She painted her house orange to match the Dutch national color, symbolizing the refuge the Netherlands provided her.
Foreign tourists coordinated visits with the Lebanese military due to the area's history of Israeli invasions. Khalil's home featured a flower-lined courtyard often filled with rescued animals. Guests could witness turtle hatching and participate in conservation, despite occasional power cuts and lack of air conditioning.
Attack and Aftermath
An Israeli airstrike hit Khalil's house earlier this month, severely wounding her. She was moved to an intensive-care unit in Beirut and succumbed to her injuries on Friday. Her assistant, an Ethiopian woman, suffered burns but is recovering.
Khalil's conservation work initially faced resentment from property developers and fishers using dynamite fishing, which she successfully opposed. Her home was also hit during the 2006 war with Hezbollah. Despite repeated Israeli invasions, she remained committed to her mission. In a 2017 interview, she said, "As long as God gives me life," she would continue.
Tributes
The Lebanese wildlife conservation group Green Southerners mourned Khalil's loss, stating her work "made her one of Lebanon's most respected voices for marine conservation and biodiversity protection." The group condemned the attack, noting it "targeted a site known for environmental conservation."
Live Love Beirut, an environment-focused social enterprise, said Khalil will be "remembered through an incredible legacy." Her life was "selfless and impactful," adding, "May she rest in peace, and may the work she cared for so deeply continue for generations to come."
