HaLevanon (lit.'The Lebanon') was the first Hebrew-language newspaper to be published in the Land of Israel. Published between 1863 and 1886, its chief editor was Yehiel Bril [he]. HaLevanon was at various points in time distributed in Jerusalem, Paris, Mainz and London.
The paper was shut down by Ottoman authorities in December 1863 after being reported to them by Bak, who edited rival paper Havatzelet [he].[1][3]
Beginning in 1865, Bril re-established HaLevanon in Paris as a bi-weekly magazine.[2] Three years later, it began to be published on a weekly basis.[citation needed] Publication ceased in September of 1870 after Bril left Paris to escape the Franco-Prussian War.[2]
In August of 1871, Bril and Marcus Lehmann resumed HaLevanon's publication in Mainz, this time as a weekly supplement to Der Israelit. The two editors cut ties in July 1881 and Ha-Levanon continued to be published as an independent newspaper until 1882, when Bril helped Russian farmers move to Ottoman Palestine to establish the settlement of Ekron,[2][4] which later became Mazkeret Batya.
In June 1886, Bril resumed HaLevanon's publication in London.[2] The paper was discontinued later that year following Bril's death.[1]
