Phoenicians - Chapter 28

8/14/2019 Phoenicians - Chapter 28

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PhoeniciansChapter 28

The Civil War 1st Phase (1975)

There is no dispute that economic growth within a single state creates sound

political and social relationships, this through the creation of common interests

among its citizens from all regions and sects. In the same way, attempts at

balanced regional economic development, which the Lebanese state undertook

during the 1950s, and which gained in momentum in the 1960s, that included the

peripheral regions, and including the Muslim majorities increased the states

legitimacy and status in those areas.

As the economic conditions improved so did their populations knowledge base of

their social conditions and as they moved forward, they began to realize that the in-

place economic mechanisms were not sufficient in their share of the wealth of

Lebanon. In their (even if only partial) exposure to the disparities between Lebanon

and its neighbors and observing their growth only brought the matters closer to the

surface.

Thrown into this mix of dissatisfaction and the feeling of being left-behind, was

the PLO, who were granted full control over the refugee camps in southern

Lebanon, and as seen they soon had the effective rule of the entire region. As

fighters in the PLO fled Jordan after the Black September destruction of the PLOs

apparatus there, the PLOs presence became overbearing too many of the

inhabitants of the region. The PLO operated as a law unto themselves and quickly

alienated the conservative Shia villagers. In this manner, same as in Jordan where

they had lost their welcome, Muslim support in Lebanon began to erode.

A left-wing opposition also began evolving within Fatah1, as radical veteran

fighters from Jordan flooded into the PLOs ranks, so much so this caused worry

even for Yasser Arafat.

Not to be deterred Arafat set about building a state-within-the-state insouthern Lebanon, his goal? To create a secure base for his PLO headquartered

in the Bekaa Valley and West Beirut. Gradually but surely the Lebanese authorities

were being pushed into irrelevancy when it came to his actions. Harsh Israeli

retribution after the Palestinian raids from what was now termed FatahLand did

1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fatah
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fatahhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fatahhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fatah


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nothing to endear the civilian Shia and Christian population to the Palestine

guerrillas.

The PLO was welcomed by the Sunnis who equated them as a natural ally in

sectarian terms and by the Druze. As a matter of record, a personal friendship

developed between Yasser Arafat and the charismatic Druze leader Kamal

Jumblatt, who not only headed the Progressive Socialist Party2, he also organized

the Lebanese National Movement (LNM). Many of the Rejectionist Front3

organizations joined the leftist LNM as soon as possible, with even some of the

Fatah joining. It is noted that Arafat was not willing to commit his Palestinians to

any intra-Lebanese conflict and to alienate potential supporters among the

Christians and their foreign allies.

In my opinion to call the upcoming conflict in Lebanon a Civil War in a sense

that it was contained within the political base of the Lebanese Government and its

citizens prompting, is not a fair or correct statement. It was a war that was the

direct result of the unrest in the entire Middle East, and as in the past the

countries involved in the unrest chose to do their battling in Lebanon. In addressing

the conflict in my day-to-day accounting of the action I have included news items

from around the globe (concerning the Middle East), whereas youll notice that

Egypt and its negotiations with Israel play an important role in the political

climate in the region. This ongoing political relationship as it progresses becomes a

major issue with Syria, who from the beginning has been mixing it up in Lebanon

since its independence in 1943 whereas they feel they were shortchanged in the

political divisions of the land by the British and the French.

Throughout the spring of 1975, minor clashes between the LNM and the

Phalange4, and the ineffective national government wavering between the need

to maintain order and cater to its constituency. The pot spilled over during a late

morning in the month of April in Beirut.

On April 13th, 1975, it is said in most records, that PLO gunmen in a speeding

car fired on a group of Phalangist leaders leaving Church in Christian suburb of Ayn

2The party was founded on 5 January 1949, and registered on 17 March the same year, under notification N789. The founders

comprised six individuals, all of different backgrounds. The most notable of these was Kamal Jumblatt (Walid Jumblatt's father).

The others were Farid Joubran, Albert Adeeb, Abdallah Alayli, Fouad Rizk, and Georges Hanna

3http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rejectionist_Front4http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kataeb_Party
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rejectionist_Fronthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rejectionist_Fronthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kataeb_Partyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kataeb_Partyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rejectionist_Fronthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kataeb_Party


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ar-Rummeneh, in Beirut killing four people, in what was believed to be an attempt

on Pierre Gemayel. They blamed the attack on the Palestinians.

Hours later, led by members of the Gemayel family the Phalangists pulled a bus

to the side of the road carrying Palestinian workers back to the refuges camps, they

were ordered from the bus at gunpoint and then had their throats slit; 27 died that

afternoon.

BBC news filed a report on the incident as quoted:

At least 17 people have been killed and 30 wounded in an ambush by right-

wing Lebanese forces on a bus carrying Palestinians in Beirut. Reports are confused

but it appears the Lebanese Phalangist gunmen attacked the bus, killing at least 14

and injuring about 20 more, as it drove through a Christian suburb of Beirut,

The trouble began earlier when Palestinian guerrillas, driving jeeps through the

district of Ain al-Roummaneh reportedly opened fire on the congregation outside a

Maronite Christian Church. Christian Phalangist leader, Pierre Gemayel, was

attending Mass at the church and his Phalangist supporters on guard outside

seized one of the jeeps and a scuffle broke out.

When the bus passed, the Phalangist gunmen who were staked out around the

church raked it with gunfire. Most of the dead were Palestinians.

Another report gives the following account by Robert Maroun Hatem.

The entire eastern neighborhood of Ain al-Roummaneh/Furn el Shebbak was

excited at the fact the Chief Sheikh Pierre Gemayel was scheduled to inaugurate a

new Church. To the Christian population, Sheikh Pierre was the figurehead of the

Christian Lebanese people, the man who opposed the Cairo Agreement and stood

up against the Palestinian armed

presence in Lebanon. That Sunday

morning was under heavy fog and a

warm-hot day promised.

At 11 A.M. that morning, as the

ceremony ended and people were leaving

the Church, a white Fiat sped by from

the Muslim Shiite side of the sector, light

machine gun fire racked the departing

crowd killing these two men. Joseph Abou Assi, the Sheikhs personal bodyguard

Abou was a notable Kataeb member, loved and respected by all. He was called


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the Chief of Al Sakhra (The Rock Group) that was assigned to protect the inner

circle, including Pierre Gemayel, and Pierre, Faud and Hilmy El Shartouni. The

crowd fled the area, leaving the streets deserted.

At 12:30 PM, a bus filled with armed Palestinians defiantly drove down the same

street, windows down and heads out the windows they were scoffing at our

disarray and anger, inviting provocation. The silence was shattered by machine gun

fire, windows shattered in the bus, its metal side punched with holes and the

passengers on the bus dead, when it finally stopped.

The War in Lebanon had been born.

On December 28th, 1986, Abd al-Rahim Ahmad of the Palestinian ALF did

confirm that those on the bus were indeed armed Palestinian ALF members.

As news of the killing flowed through the streets of Beirut, Palestinian militias

including the radical Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine5 (PFLP) went

on a rampage through Beirut. Armed clashes with the Phalange flared up across

the city and soon the Lebanese National Movement militias entered the battle

fighting alongside the Palestinians.

During this 1st week of fighting, at one particular Palestinian checkpoint with

hundreds of people (cars were backed up) watching, a single man was executed.

The man and his executors stood on open ground at the side of Avenue Sami al-

Solh, along with another Lebanese Maronite guarded by the Fedayeen armed with

AK47s. The captives hands were tied behind their back, the one that was singled

out for special attention. Around his neck with caution, they hung sticks of

explosives, the motorists looked on with uneasy terror, praying and waiting for the

special police in their red berets to make an appearance they never showed.

One witness amongst the hundreds, Janet Wakin (American wife of businessman

George Wakin) said, the victim stood still, with a strange quietness and dignity.

Done with their placement of the explosives, they set the fuse going and ran from

the man, who continued to stand there, quite still, until the explosion. Not only was

he decapitated, but the rest of his body was blown to pieces.

5 The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) is a Marxist-Leninist, nationalist Palestinian political and military

organization, founded in 1967.


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Into the middle of the crisis stepped Elias Sarkis becoming the newly elected

President on Sept 23rd, 1976 and as can be seen with very limited power or

authority over the war raging inside his country.

On December 6th, 1975 (Saturday), the four bodies of members of the Phalange

Party were found in an abandoned car outside the state-owned electric plant in

Christian-dominated East Beirut. They had been killed with axes, and their bodies

mutilated.

The Phalanges militia in the city went into a frenzied rage, blaming the killings

on the LNM. Phalange forces attacked the Muslims throughout Christian-dominated

East Beirut, indiscriminately firing into crowds. Tens or hundreds of Muslim

hostages were snatched off the streets of Beirut, killed or later released for ransom.

Fighters said to be led by Joseph Saad, whose son was one of the four found

murdered, began erecting checkpoints on major roads across the city, passing cars

and pedestrians were stopped and ordered to show identification cards. Any

Palestinians (who were stateless and had no ID cards, or Muslims (Lebanese ID

cards at the time showed religious affiliations) were killed on the spot.

In this action, several hundred people were killed in over a period of a few hours,

most of them civilians. Estimations put the total from anywhere between 200 and

600 victims. The Phalange headquarters released a communiqu the next day

claiming the revenge was supposed to have been limited to hostage-taking, but

had escalated into a mass killing because of hysteria and elements who would

not listen to orders of their superiors. End of statement!

Immediately following the LNM attacked the Phalange checkpoints, major battles

spread like wildfire across the capital and over much of the surrounding countryside

it was a real war.

There were many of these militias involved in the Lebanon Civil War, and some

at times switched flags during the term of the conflict, as it is sometimes labeled

in kinder circles in-country. In that respect as late as January 10th, 2007 an article

published in the International Herald Tribune, written by Hassan M. Fattah

screamed the headline, Lebanons history textbooks sidestep its civil war. In his

article he quotes the former director of the Education Center for Research and

Development Nemer Frayha as saying, America used the school to create a


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melting pot; we use it to reinforce sectarian identity at the expense of national

identify.

In support of this statement, Nabil Haydar put forth the same thought when he

said, people must become self-starters instead of blaming their government, civic

responsibilities and rights must be taught to students at the elementary and

secondary levels. Universities can only play a complementary role in continuing

the civic educational process

In an article published in the Beirut Daily Star on January 22nd, 2007 with a

glaring title, Schools in Lebanon get a failing grade, you ought to look it up.

In the news account, the World Bank is quoted as stating, Even the highest-

quality schools in Lebanon are not producing competitive students at the

international levels evidence suggests that Lebanon might be losing its human

capital edge. The trend, if true, can be reversed, however, through a long and deep

reform of the educational section.

I was equally surprised to find out that Lebanon is one of the only middle-income

societies that does not offer free compulsory primary schooling to all citizens for

9-years. And that over 60% of the Lebanese students are currently enrolled in

private schools with an annual fee of $1,800 and that according to government

figures the average family in Lebanon pays between 11 and 25% of their annual

household income on education for their children. In other words, nothing has

changed, in some cases they still have their head in the sand.

Pre-civil war, continuing, militias were born like wildflowers after a spring rain, I

start with the big ones and how they morphed into fighting machines the

government had no control of, but first the reason for their birth.

Constitutionally guaranteed, Christian control of the government had come

under increasing fire from Muslims and other secular left-wind groups in the 1960s,

leading the Muslims to join forces as the Lebanese National Movement (LNM).

The LNM called for taking a new census (last one in 1932) and the subsequent

drafting of a new governmental structure that would reflect the actual population

balance.

This was seen as a mortal threat for the Christians (especially the Maronite)

power structure in Lebanon. It must be pointed out that the alliances were much

more complicated and complex than just the Muslims against/versus Christians,

and is perceived by many outside of the politics in Lebanon.


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The two sides were unable to reconcile their conflicts of interest and this was

the beginning of the militias, first for self-protection, but as things escalated (and

the differences and split showed up in the Lebanese regular army), the events

rapidly eroded the authority of the central government.

Remember, the Lebanese army was from the start of the conflict, not only

being the smallest in the Middle East, it was also made up of troops based on a

fixed-ratio of religions. And, it was a Christian controlled army, with Christian

officers and its troops split on the fixed-ratio between Muslims and Christians. Later

on it was the desertion of the Muslim contingents who had lost their trust in the

Christian officers that caused its complete disintegration.

Throughout the war most (or) all militias operated with little regard for human

rights and the sectarian character of some battle, made non-combatant civilians a

frequent target. As the war progressed the militias fell further into a mafia-style

operation with some commanders slipping into a life of crime as their primary pre-

occupation, rather then engaging in the war.

Finances for the war effort were obtained in one or all of the following ways:

1. Outside support (Alliances would shift frequently)

a. Rivaling Arab governments Iran or Israel

b. Super Powers, with strings attached

2. Local population

a. Extortion

b. Theft

c. Bank Robberies

d. Random Check Points

1d. Customs would be collected (common practice on all sides)

e. During cease-fires) most militias operated as the local mafia

3. Smuggling

a. During the war Lebanon morphed into the worlds largest narcotics

produces such as hashish from the Bekaa Valley

b. Guns and supplies, and other kinds of stolen goods, War or no War,

it seemed Lebanon would not give up its role as the middleman in

European-Arab business.

c. Many battle were fought over the control of Lebanons access

ports


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Christian Militias

They acquired their arms from Romania, Bulgaria as well as from West Germany,

Belgium and Israel, and drew their supporters from the larger and poorer Christian

population located in the northern section of the country.

They were generally right-wing in their political outlook, where it was found

that some militias were formed under early impulses from European Fascism.

All the major Christian militias were Maronite-dominated, with other Christian

sects having a secondary role.

The most powerful of their militias was that of the Kataeb Social Democratic

Party6 (or) the Phalange, led by Bachir Gemayel. The Phalange went on to

assist in the founding of the Lebanese Forces7 in 1977, who were led by Samir

Geagea in 1986.

A smaller force was the extremist Guardians of the Cedars, founded by

Etienne Saqr (Sakr or Sacre), later expelled from the country, tried in absentia and

sentenced to death for working with the Israelis near the end of the war.

These militias quickly established strongholds in the Christian-dominated East

Beirut (also at the sites of many government buildings) whereas in the north, the

Marada Brigades served as the private militia of the Franjieh family and Zgharta8.

Shia Militias

The Shis militias were slow to form and participate in the fighting, where,

initially many Shis had shown sympathies to the Palestinian cause and the

Lebanese Communist Party9 these slowly diminished after Black September, and

there was a sudden influx of armed Palestinians to the Shia regions. The radical

factions of the Palestinian immigrants ruled by the gun in much of Shia inhabited

southern Lebanon, and soon wore out their welcome in those regions of the Shia

having alienated the traditionalist Shia community. After years without their own

political organization, in 1974-1975 the birth of the Musa Sadr Amal Movement10

surfaced. (Their origins began with the Lebanese cleric of Iranian origin Iman Musa

al-Sadr11)

6http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kataeb7http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lebanese_Forces8http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zgharta9http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lebanese_Communist_Party10http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amal_Movement11http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Musa_al-Sadr
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kataebhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kataebhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kataebhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lebanese_Forceshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lebanese_Forceshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lebanese_Forceshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zghartahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zghartahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lebanese_Communist_Partyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lebanese_Communist_Partyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amal_Movementhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amal_Movementhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amal_Movementhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Musa_al-Sadrhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Musa_al-Sadrhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Musa_al-Sadrhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kataebhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lebanese_Forceshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zghartahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lebanese_Communist_Partyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amal_Movementhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Musa_al-Sadr


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Its moderate Islamist ideology immediately attracted the urban poor, and its

armed ranks grew rapidly. Later, in the early 1980s, a hardliner faction would break

away to join with other Shia groups fighting Israel to form the Hezbollah12, who to

this day remain the most powerful militia in Lebanon. Hezbollah was initially aided

and trained by Iran and since the late 1980s has been receiving backing from Syria.

Sunni Militias

Some Sunni groups received their support from Libya and Iraq, and of the

number of minor ones, the more prominent ones were considered with a Nasserist

or otherwise pan-Arab or Arab nationalist direction and a few Islamist.

The primary Sunni-led organization was the al-Murabitun13 to compensate for

a small force on the battlefield, the Sunni leadership turned early in the war to the

PLO, which was dominated by Palestinian Sunnis, keep in mind the PLO had a Greek

Orthodox minority.

The Druze

The Druze, strategically located in the Chouf14 in central Lebanon, had no natural

allies, and so put a tremendous effort into building alliances. Under the leadership

of the Jumblatt family (1st Kamal Jumblatt-LMN15 leader) and then his son Walid

Jumblatt the Progressive Socialist Party16 (PSP) served as an effective Druze

militia, constructing excellent ties to the Soviet Union mainly, and with Israel when

it invaded Lebanon, and after Israel withdrew a relationship with Syria was

established.

Non-Religious Groups

Although several Lebanese militias professed to be secular17, most were little

than vehicles for their sectarian18 interests. In this there existed a number of non-

religious groups, most setup exclusively on the far-left.

One was the pro-Moscow Lebanese Communist Party (LCP19) and the more

radical and independent Communist Action Organization (COA20). Another was,

12http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hezbollah13http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Murabitun14http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chouf_District15http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lebanese_National_Movement16http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Progressive_Socialist_Party17Secularism generally refers to an ideology that promotes the secular (as opposed to the religious) particularly within the public

sphere18 rigidly adhering to a particular set of doctrines and intolerant of other views19http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lebanese_Communist_Party20http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communist_Action_Organization
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hezbollahhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hezbollahhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Murabitunhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Murabitunhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chouf_Districthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chouf_Districthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lebanese_National_Movementhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lebanese_National_Movementhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Progressive_Socialist_Partyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Progressive_Socialist_Partyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lebanese_Communist_Partyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lebanese_Communist_Partyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communist_Action_Organizationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communist_Action_Organizationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communist_Action_Organizationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hezbollahhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Murabitunhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chouf_Districthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lebanese_National_Movementhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Progressive_Socialist_Partyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lebanese_Communist_Partyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communist_Action_Organization


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the Syrian Social National Party, (SSNP21), which promoted the concept of a

Greater Syria rather than Pan-Arab or Lebanese nationalism. It was generally

aligned with the Syrian government, although it did not approve of Hafef al-

Assads Bathist regime.

The Palestinians

The Palestinian movement had relocated most of its fighting strength to Lebanon

by the end of 1970, this after wearing out their welcome in Jordan in the event

known as Black September. Within in this movement sat the PLO, by itself

Lebanons most potent fighting force, and consider it was little more than a loose

confederation, with its leader Yasser Arafat22 proving to be unable to control

some factions within the movement.

This condition undermined both the PLOs operational strength and the

sympathy of the Lebanese for the PLO, as the organizations image in Lebanon was

increasingly deterred by the radical forces whose Communist Revolutionary Order

were no more than forceful rhetoric in support of their protection rackets. In

other words, the PLO could not be considered to be a coherent organization.

The mainstream PLO, represented by Arafats powerful Fatah guerrillas, initially

hesitated to take sides in the Lebanese struggle, but was eventually dragged into

open conflict by more radical Palestinian groups.

The dragging into the Civil War of Lebanon was encouraged by a number of

different entities that included factions of the radical Arab States, such as Syria, Iraq

and Libya ones that screamed Arab socialist and Marxist-Leninist doctrine. Among

the loudest was the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP23) an

outgrowth of the Arab Nationalist Movement24 founded in 1953 by Doctor George

Habash, a Palestinian Christian from Lydda/Lod in Palestine the family had been

forced into exile after the 1948 Arab-Israeli war --- he received his doctorate at the

American University of Beirut graduating in 1951. A splinter of the PFLP, the

Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP25) was also a big

encouragement factor in the PLOs participation in the war.

21http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syrian_Social_Nationalist_Party22http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yassir_Arafat23http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Popular_Front_for_the_Liberation_of_Palestine24http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arab_Nationalist_Movement25http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democratic_Front_for_the_Liberation_of_Palestine
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syrian_Social_Nationalist_Partyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syrian_Social_Nationalist_Partyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yassir_Arafathttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yassir_Arafathttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yassir_Arafathttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Popular_Front_for_the_Liberation_of_Palestinehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Popular_Front_for_the_Liberation_of_Palestinehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Popular_Front_for_the_Liberation_of_Palestinehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arab_Nationalist_Movementhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arab_Nationalist_Movementhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arab_Nationalist_Movementhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democratic_Front_for_the_Liberation_of_Palestinehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democratic_Front_for_the_Liberation_of_Palestinehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democratic_Front_for_the_Liberation_of_Palestinehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syrian_Social_Nationalist_Partyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yassir_Arafathttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Popular_Front_for_the_Liberation_of_Palestinehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arab_Nationalist_Movementhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democratic_Front_for_the_Liberation_of_Palestine


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Lesser roles were played by the Palestinian Liberation Front (PLF) and another

splinter group of the PFLP, the Syrian-aligned Popular Front for the Liberation of

Palestine-General Command (PFLP-GC), as if things were not already complicated

enough the Bathist systems of Syria and Iraq both set up Palestinian puppet

organizations within the PLO.

The as-Saiqa26 was a Syrian-controlled militia operating in parallel by the Arab

Liberation Front (ALF) under Iraqi command. The Syrian government could also

count on the Syrian brigades of the Palestinian Liberation Army (PLA) which was

formally but not functionally the PLOs regular army. Some PLA units sent by

Egypt were under PLO control, but never played the same dominant role as the

heavily armed Syrian backed forces.

In 1974, added to Arafats multi-problems was the near-formal breakup of the

PLO, when he and the leadership of the Fatah put forth the Ten Points Program27

that had its focus on making a two-state solution, to the Palestinian National Council

(PNC).

Under furious accusations of treason, many of the PLOs hard line anti-Israel

parties simply walked out of the organization. These organizations with the backing

of the Iraqis, and later the Syrians and the Libyans backing, formed the

Rejectionist Front28, screaming a no-compromise line towards Israel.

The defectors included the PFLP, the PFLP-GC, the PLF, as-Saiqa, ALF and

several others, and discontent began to grow in the Fatah this split effectively

prevented any organizational unity in the crucial states of the PLOs involvement in

the Lebanese Civil War.

All these different factions can be said to have kept the Civil War alive far past

its effective date, turning Lebanon into one large battleground it is now realized

that it is not entirely correct to state that the war pitted these groups against each

other just because of the religious beliefs and maybe youll be able to see it is a war

that really gets it birth after the formation of the state of Israel in 1948 maybe?

A serious confrontation involving the PLO guerrillas erupted on March 25th,

1970 in the Maronite town of Kahhaleh (on the road to Damascus from Beirut)

26http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/As-Sa%27iqa27http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ten_point_plan28http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rejectionist_Front
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/As-Sa'iqahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/As-Sa'iqahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/As-Sa'iqahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ten_point_planhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ten_point_planhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rejectionist_Fronthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rejectionist_Fronthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/As-Sa'iqahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ten_point_planhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rejectionist_Front


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and spread immediately to the suburbs of Beirut they lasted over three days, and

had (up until that time) unprecedented confessional overtones.

It all began during a funeral procession that was being escorted by the PLO

through the village to Damascus to bury a Palestinian commando officer, was fired

on by the villagers. On their way back, the Palestinian had reinforced their convoy

with more troops and more arms they again were attacked in Kahhaleh coming

under heavy fire through the main road in town gunfire was exchanged for 45-

minutes with several casualties reported.

Immediately after the incident attempts at reconciliation started, with Kamal

Jumblatt (in his capacity as Minister of the Interior), conferring with delegations

representing the Palestinians and representatives from Kahhaleh.

Despite these efforts, the fighting spread to other areas around the Palestinian

camps in the areas of Dikwaneh and Harit Hreik. The locations were populated

by middle/lower class Christians, where guerrillas had previously set up roadblocks

and harass the Christians as they went to an fro doing their business outside of the

regions.

In Dikwaneh, where the Tal-Zatar camp was located, Palestinian guerrillas raided

the local office of the Phalange Party where they kidnapped Pierre Gemayels

younger son Bashir, who at this time was

not yet directly involved in party politics.

Although Bashir and his two companions

were released the same day from a Fatah

office on Hamra Street, the symbolic

significance of the episode was clear.

From that day forward Bashir Gemayel

would get heavily involved in the politics in Lebanon.

September 5th, 1972 Black September group (PLO) begins the Olympic Games

kidnapping.29

September 19th, Black September sends letter bomb to Ami Shechori in London

killing him.

29Luttif Afif(1937? or 1945? September 6, 1972), possible true name Muhammad Massalha, aliasIssa, was the leader of the

group of Palestinian terrorists who invaded the Munich Olympic Village on September 5, 1972 and took as hostage ninemembers of Israels Olympic team after killing two members who resisted.


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On April 10th , 1973, Israeli commandos infiltrated Beirut in a daring raid and

attacked Palestinian centers in the heart of the capital, killing three prominent PLO

leaders:

1. Kamal Nasir Poet and the PLO official spokesman

2. Muhammad al-Najjar Head of the Higher Political Committee for Palestinian

Affairs in Lebanon, member of the PLO Executive Committee and Fatah

Central Committee

3. Kamal Udwan Member of the Fatah Central Committee

The absence of the Lebanese Army during the Israeli attack angered Lebanese

Muslims, whereas Prime Minister Saib Salam claimed that Army commander

General Alexander Ghanim a Maronite had disobeyed orders by not resisting the

Israeli raid, and he threatened to resign unless General Ghanim was stripped of his

rank he did retain his rank, (until Sept 1975 being replaced by Hanna Said), Salam

did resign and was succeeded by a series of ineffective Prime Ministers.

On April 14th, 1973 the United States-owned oil terminus30 at Zahrani

(Sidon) was bombed, allegedly by the PFLP-GC, and on April 27 th, three men were

arrested with explosives at Beirut airport, where an additional bomb was found the

next day, and on April 30th several armed DFLP members were arrested as they

drove past the US Embassy --- in a nutshell the friction was increasing between the

guerrillas and the security forces was rising to a rapid boil.

In response to the security forces effective action, two Lebanese soldiers were

kidnapped on May 1st, January 1973 which finally forced the Lebanese Army into

action with the PLO. The refugee camps are surrounded and attacked by the Army.

In response to Palestinian shelling of the airport, the Lebanese Air Force was

ordered into action against the Burj al-Barajina camp in Beirut. A state of

emergency was declared throughout the country.

The PLO appealed to international allies for support. Algeria, Libya, and Syria

promptly condemned the Lebanese governments actions, and all three together

with Kuwait, Egypt, Morocco, Iraq, the UAE, and the Arab League offered to

mediate.

Egypt and Syria who were planning the October-1973 Arab-Israeli War, put

forth an extra plea, being anxious to contain the conflict, and put pressure on

30Trans-Arabian Pipeline Company, a joint venture by Standard Oil of New Jersey (Esso), Standard Oil of California

(Chevron), The Texas Company (Texaco) and Socony-Vacuum Oil Company (Mobil)


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Lebanon. On May 8th the border between Syria and Lebanon was closed by Syria,

the two forces inside Syria (Fatah, Saiqa) moved from Syria to a few kilometers

inside Lebanon. Forcing Lebanon into some serious ways to end the fighting.

After some 17-hours of negotiating on May 17th, the two sides had reached an

agreement, it was labeled the Melkart Protocol it stated that the PLO had to

respect the Independence, stability, and sovereignty of Lebanon, and yet it also

gave the PLO virtual autonomy, including the right to maintain its own militia in

certain areas of Lebanon. This was radically different than the Cairo Agreement

which preserved the exercise of full power in all regions and in all circumstanced

by Lebanese civilian and military authorities.

Lebanese Muslims believed that under the Melkart Agreement Palestinian

refuges in Lebanon had been accorded a greater degree of self-determination

than even some Lebanese citizens, and inspired by this they organized politically

and militarily along with encouraged by the Palestinians tried to obtain similar

concession from the central government.

Druze leader Kamal Jumblatt established the Lebanese National Movement

(formerly the Front for Progressive Parties and National Forces) as an umbrella

group made up of anti-governmental forces.

Following the 1969 events, Kataeb (Phalange) Party members were involved in

occasional military training, this changed in 1973 after the confrontations

between them and the PLO forces. They acquired heavy weapons and engaged

extensively in organized training the Phalange Partywas the most organized of

the Christian-based units having a para-military structure and a large following in

various sections of the country as noted analysis and author Frank Stoakes

remarked, it had become a valuable auxiliary of the state, and was ready to come

to its defense in times of crisis.


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Other groups began to organize militarily, notably Chamouns National Liberal

Party and a small elitist group of young professionals called al-Tanzim31, led by Dr.

Fouad Chemail and Georges Adouan.

All the participants in Lebanon lagged far beyond the PLO in similar military and

security infrastructure as they had limited financial resources. Whereas the leftist

and Muslim-based parties that operated closely with the PLO received heavy

financial and military support from Arab countries, most notably Libya, Syria and

Iraq. Christian-based groups (for the most part) relied mainly on private financial

support and received (beginning in 1973) military training and light weapons from

the Lebanese army. At the beginning of 1975, it is estimated that over 350,000

Palestinian refugees are in Lebanon.

Pre-1975 the military balance in the country was in favor of the PLO:

1. PLO organization (22,900 troops)

a. Fatah 7,000

b. Saiqa 4,500

c. Al-Rashidiye camp - 7,300

d. Ayn al-Helweh camp - 4,500

e. Tal al Zaatar camp - 3,225

f. Shatile camp - 2,500

g. Nahr al-Band camp - 1,700

h. Al-Burj al-Shimali camp - 1,625

i. Borj al-Barajneh camp - 1,300

2. Lebanese Army (19,000) 50% fighting force rest administrative

3. Kataeb Party - 8,000

4. Lebanese Communist Party - 5,000

5. Progressive Socialist Party - 5,000

6. Syrian Social Nationalist Party - 4,000

31 This small party was founded in 1969 in the wake of major clashes between the Palestinian forces in Lebanon and the

Lebanese army (which was aided by right-wing militias). Its founders split off from the Lebanese Phalanges party in protestagainst its leadership's reluctance to engage in nationwide military training and arming of the Lebanese population to engage in

full-scale war against the Palestinians in Lebanon. Since its inception, this party has exhibited a fixation with the militarization ofthe Lebanese in order to "defend Lebanon." This ostensibly secretive program was made public in 1973 when the Organization

participated in clashes between Palestinian forces, on the one hand, and the coalition of Lebanese army troops and rightwingmilitias, on the other. With the split the Lebanese army early in the war, Al Tanzim attempted to incorporate defectors from the

army into its ranks. The Lebanese Al Tanzim also accepted members from outside the army, mostly from the upper andprofessional classes. It fielded its own military force of about 1500 troops. The Organization was absorbed into the LebaneseForces in 1977.


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7. National Liberal Party - 4,000

8. Leftist/Nationalist/Muslim based parties (LNM) had over 18,700 militiamen

coupled with the PLO showed a total of anti-government forces around

41,600 men

9. The Christian-based units made up a total force of 12,000, and after the

breakup of the Lebanese Army this number decreased the anti-

government forces numbered 46,000 and the Christian-based number was

15,000 both sides had increased, although the ratio was worse for the

Christians.

Prior to the spark(s) that set the reality of war on the Lebanese people, other

events are said to have added to the upcoming disruption of Lebanon.

May 16th 1974: Israeli Air Force bombed seven Palestinian refugee camps

and villages in southern Lebanon killing at least 27-people and leaving 138 injured.

The attack was in retaliation for yesterdays hostage crisis as a school in Maalot

near the Lebanon border in which 18-teenages were killed and 70 wounded.

Worst hit by the Israeli fighter-bombers were the crowded refugee camps of Ein

El Helweh near the city of Sidon and Nabatieh. An official announcement from the

IDF said the planes had been aiming at offices and training bases used by the

Popular Democratic Front led by Nayef Hawatmeh and the Popular Front under

the command of Ahmed Jibril.

In common references on the Internet there are sites available that lay out some

special events happening during the year in Lebanon, I have gone to a universal

news archive and went thought each day of each month, noting news worthy items

that have to do with the overall conditions in the Middle East. Some news worthy

items it can easily be determined of their direct cause and effect on the events in

Lebanon while the recorded instances are noted on the Lebanese Civil War pages,

the events leading to these actions are not conclusive in detailing what led to their

occurrences. Im not saying they were left out on purpose just as Im not saying I

am taking the noted references to the event leading up to their happening as noted

by the International press is accurate, all I am saying is that the reader must draw

his own conclusions or opinion of their effect in Lebanon.

Some events (dates) will back track in most times to the event with a correction

on a following date in some instances it may take a week or two before the


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correction or another fact is discovered that facilitates the correction this is

common. When I am able to remember (if the events are not too far about, or my

family of editors discovered the change) it is made during the day the event happen

in captions the constant reference to the Middle East peace process involving

Egypt and Israel is noted more often than any other political moves because their

peace process, like the war in Lebanon has a lot to do with the fate of the

Palestinians, which has been the focal point of most of the Middle East since Israel

was made a state in 1948.

January 2nd USA Secretary of State Henry Kissinger says military action

cannot be ruled out in the Middle East blames the conditions of the region on oil.

Israeli troops cross the Lebanese border and raid two towns, four Arab civilians

and one Lebanese soldier are killed during the raid.

On January 3rd, 1975 the country of Israel bombed selected areas in South

Lebanon, killing six civilians, five wounded and during an excursion of Israel forces,

six were taken prisoner and 13-homes were destroyed. The Lebanese army and the

Fedayin (Muslim freedom fighters) twice repelled the Israeli incursion attempts.

There is also fighting between Israel and Lebanon along the border, Israel

reports it lost one officer and seven soldiers are wounded

Lebanon protests to UN Security Council and ask other Arab countrys for

weapons.

Two bombs explode in Egyptian and Jordan embassies in Damascus, Syria four

are reported wounded Arab and Communist group may be responsible.

OnJanuary 6th, 1975 the Lebanese army attack and succeed in controlling the

old town of Tripoli, where it is said many outlaws has been hiding for the past six

months two civilians died, twelve wounded and seventy-five were arrested.

Israel charges Palestinians from Syria are reinforcing guerrillas in Lebanon

Israeli Defense Minister Shimon Peres warns both countries that any Syrian

attempt to gain a foothold in Lebanon will an act of aggression. Lebanese

government denies the charge.

In the Beirut region on the 7th of January , 25,000 private school teachers went on

strike this affected over 200,000 students, they were claiming the amendment of

their pay scale and teachers dismissal law was unfair. The minimum salary for a

teacher was 250 Lebanese pounds per month.


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Jan 8th Israeli Foreign Minister Yigal Allon flies to US to discuss next step in

Israel, as Egypts President Sadat says Israel must agree to withdraw from East

Jerusalem of other Israeli-occupied Arab territories before Middle East peace talks

can resume in Geneva.

Jan 9th Secretary of State Kissinger (USA) raised the remote possibility of

United States military intervention in the Middle East an another surprise

announcement the State Department reveals a sale of squadron of Jet Fighters to

Saudi Arabia. The Saudis plan to spend $756 million on the transaction. Rival TV

network reports a value in the $3/$4 billion range.

Jan 10th Israelis are still making raids across the border against Arab guerrillas.

It is also reported that Syrian President Assad is visiting Lebanon with Lebanese

President Suleiman Franjieh for mutual defense conferences, both Syria and

Lebanon are afraid Israel will take over South Lebanon it is said the residents are

in fear of losing everything, including their lives.

The Lebanese Foreign Minister reports his government will ask for a high-level

conference of all Arab Nations to discuss problem.

The government of India recognizes the PLO as the only representatives of

Palestinians they authorize the opening of office in New Delhi.

The 70th Patriarch Paul Peter Meoushi dies of a heart attack at the age of 81

onJanuary 11th, 1975 Saturday.

Jan 13th Israeli troops cross border twice destroying five houses and shelling

outskirts of several towns. Two Lebanese are wounded; in nearby town a

demonstration is organized protesting the inability of Lebanese Armys failure to

stop raids.

Jan 14th Saudi Arabias King Faisal touring Middle East says hell help Syria

financially in its struggle against Israel UN Secretary General Kurt Waldheim

warns the Middle East situation is extremely serious, and there may be a withdrawal

of fall peace-keeping forces in the region in DC, Marvin Kalb reports the possibility

of further Israeli Egyptian relations and future agreement looks good.

Jan 15th Israelis cross border once more and fight with PLO, PLO claim that

Israelis shell two gunboats in Lebanon it is said by Israelis that raids will continue

considering the situation inside Lebanon.

Jan 16th Another Israeli attack across border against PLO bases. Israeli artillery

fires across the Lebanese border for its 5th consecutive day, Lebanese army returns


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fire briefly (for the 1st time this year) whereas they hope to force PLO out of

Southern Lebanon.

In Damascus a bomb explodes near hotel where some of Saudi Arabian King

Faisals delegation is staying. It is mentioned that King Faisal and President Assad

do not agree on methods of running a government they agree that Arabs must be

unified in their approach to the Middle East problem.

Jan 17th President Ford White House confirms that U.S. has supplied Lebanon

with two-dozen mobile rocket launchers in recent months. Lebanese refugees

bitter at United States for supplying Israelis with up-to-date modern warfare

materials, whereas the small Lebanese Army is reluctant to challenge the Israelis. It

is also noted that there is a growing support across the region to supply

sophisticated equipment to army upgrading its readiness.

Kissinger due back in Middle East accepted invitation (in principle) Israeli Foreign

Minister Yigal Allon makes announcement, and he expresses assurances that U.S.

wont sell out Israel.

January 20th, Lebanese Army barracks in Tyre is hit by 8-rockets fired from

nearby Palestinian camp.

United States asking British for occasional use of their airfield facilities on

Masirah Island British-run airbase at entrance to Persian Gulf.

Jan 23rd President Anwar Sadat says Egypt and Syria to go to war if attacked by

Israel Israeli Prime Minister Itzhak Rabin rejects Sadats demands to pull back on

three fronts within next 3-months.

Jan 24th Ford White House and Pentagon deny report that three Army divisions

are being prepared as expeditionary force to the Middle East.

After stormy debates and demonstrations most schools reopened their doors on

January 27, 1975 in Lebanon.

President Sadat goes to France to purchase military supplies, he meets with

French President Valery Giscard dEstaing who is more than willing to sell him the

newest in rockets, fighter planes, tanks, nuclear reactors Saudi Arabia says they

will assist along with other Arab nations with financial aid for the purchase.

Jan 28th Israel Defense Minister Shimon Peres says Israel has agreed to pull its

troops back to new defense line on Sinai, 35-miles east of Suez Canal but it insists

on keeping oil fields and strategic mountain passes that Egypt is demanding they

turn over.


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In South Lebanon the Israelis have stepped up their campaign against the PLO,

whereas the Lebanese farmers are caught in the middle one farmer Aref Khoury

says, we live in a constant shadow of fear.

Syria brags that they are in a much stronger military position then when the

October War broke out, and as a demand for a permanent peace settlement the

turning over of the Golan Heights it is note that although there is some progress

in Sinai there is none in reference to Syria.

Jan 29th PLO gives tour of their detention camp in Damascus, where 70 men are

being held for discipline including five-men who tried to hijack a British airliner.

On January 30th, 1975 15,000 citizens demonstrated in Beirut expressing their

solidarity with the people of Southern Lebanon which had gone through regular

attacks.

Jan 31st International news reports on the increase of Belly Dancing in

Lebanon, contributing it to greater social freedom they show large Belly Dancing

school in Beirut interview with Nadia Gamal who says that Belly Dancing good

for womens body and her mind.

The month of January Israel is hard after the PLOs positions in South Lebanon,

and the PLO responds in like fashionthe Israelis accuse Syria of supplying

Palestinians (PLO Members) to reinforce the PLO forces in Syria there is no answer

to this accusation. After a particular heavy raid by the Israelis the Lebanese

government protests to the UN and sends out a general call for arms from other

Arab countries. The reader should be reminded that when there is a historical

reference to the government it usually refers to the government of the Prime

Minister.

US Secretary of State Kissinger raises the possibility of the US intervening in the

Middle East in the press the next day Syrian President Assad is meeting with the

President of Lebanon (and his government) to have a mutual defense conference

in dealing with Israel, couching their meeting based on the fear of the residents in

Southern Lebanon.

In a strange turn of events (maybe) King Faisal pledges to help Syria in financing

their military expenditures in fighting Israel, and when he and entourage visit

Damascus the hotel where his group is staying is bombed. (Israel-?)


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And then the US Government acknowledges it has furnished Lebanon with some

rocket launchers, three days later the PLO fires three rockets into an Army barracks

at Tyre. In Damascus King Faisal goes home and then President Assads

government brags they are stronger than they were during the October war.

President Sadat goes to France to buy a military stockpile, and in Israel Peres

says that Israel will pull back to old lines in Sinai. What a month!

Phoenicians - Chapter 28

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