When Israel's invasion of Lebanon started on 6 June 1982, Haddad reportedly succeeded in temporarily halting the attack of an Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) tank column in a bold appeal to its commander, mediated by a Swiss delegate of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), to evacuate the civilian population to the beaches. Hence, he was widely praised as ""a model ecumenical pastor, maintaining cordial human relations with all, and especially with the most needy, without any discrimination whatsoever"."