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Khiam was a detention and interrogation centre established by Israel in Southern Lebanon in 1985. It was situated in a former French barrack complex originally built in the 1930s. It remained in use for detention and interrogation of Lebanese civilians until its closure (termed by some as liberation) in 2000, following Israels withdrawal from Lebanon.
Khiam was notorious for extensive use of torture, and the atrocious conditions in which inmates were kept. These are well-documented and beyond dispute.
What is more controversial is the question of whether, and to what extent, the centre was operated by and/or for the Israelis. Israel has denied direct involvement in Khiam, claiming to have delegated operation of the centre to the South Lebanon Army (SLA) as far back as 1988.
However, this claim is open to dispute. In particular, an affidavit penned by IDF Brigadier General Dan Halutz for the Israeli Ministry of Defence admits a considerable level of Israeli involvement, including paying salaries and providing training for interrogators.
Furthermore, as an occupying power, Israel bore ultimate responsibility, under International Law, for actions by its own or any other army with regard to the occupied population. This would include actions perpetrated by Israel's proxies in the SLA.
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