On a sunny Saturday, I drove with a friend to Iqleem Al Tuffah in the South of Lebanon to visit the landmark of Mleeta. Located at about 80 km from Beirut, the ride was smooth and didn't take up too long. The site is located at 1060m above sea level and offers a beautiful view of the surrounding villages from uphill.
This open-air war museum has been open to the public since 2010. According to the brochure, the landmark was conceived by the Hezbollah in a quadrate shape to "mimic the Muslim's Kiblah while pointing to four sides: the north and south that represent the journey of the migrating birds that seek warmer areas, the east that points to the sunrise of the resistance and its society, and the west that points to the fading star of the occupation and tyranny".
The origin of the name Mleeta is believed to be Syriac. Panels are written in both Arabic and English. Touring the premises is an easy walk and can take up to two hours. Amiable guides can assist you for free if required. Some have dubbed the site Hezbollah's Disneyland as it aims at conveying the party's perspectives. I found it very interesting and it is very well realized. I recommend visiting it, even if you don't adhere to the views of the Hezb.
