Prelude to Zahra: A History of Lebanon

BRIEF HISTORY OF LEBANON (as a prelude to the discussion of the Story of Zahra)

• Until the end of World War I, Lebanon was part of Syria constituting what was known as Greater Syria.  After World War I, France was given a mandate over Lebanon by the League of Nations.  France then divided Syria in 1920 into two parts, what we know to be Syria and Lebanon today.
• After 20 years of French mandate, Lebanon's independence was proclaimed on Nov. 26, 1941 but full independence came in stages.
• Evacuation of French troops was completed in 1946.
• According to the National Pact, different religious communities are represented in the government by having a Maronite Christian president, a Sunni Muslim prime minister, and a Shi`i National Assembly speaker.
• The arrangement worked for about two decades but then civil war broke out in 1958 against the government led by a Maronite president.  There is a history of clan warfare among various religious factions which go back centuries.  These factions include the Maronites, the Greek orthodox, the Greek catholics, the Armenian orthodox, and the Nestorians among other Christian groups.  The Muslim factions include the Sunnis, the Shi`a, and the Druze.
• In 1975, a new and bloodier Lebanese civil war broke out.  In the fighting between various factions, 40,000 Lebanese were estimated to have been killed and 100,000 wounded between March 1975 and Nov. 1976.  At that point, the Syrian army intervened on behalf of the Christian government and brought large-scale fighting to a halt.
• On June 6, 1982, Israel invaded Lebanon, claiming that it was in response to Palestinian attacks on Israel from Lebanese territory.  They also created a militia from renegade Christian forces within Lebanon.  Under an US initiative, the PLO was dispersed to other Arab countries and Israel partially withdrew.
• In the same year, president-elect Bashir Jemayel from the Christian Phalangist party was assassinated; Israeli troops moved into west Beirut.  The renegade Christian militiamen organized by the Israelis massacred hundreds of Palestinians in two refugee camps, known as Sabra and Shatila, but Israel denied responsibility.  On September 20, Amin Jemayel, brother of Bashir was elected president.
• In 1986, a peacekeeping agreement brokered by a multinational force and Syria broke down and intense fighting between Shi`i and Druze militia in West Beirut broke out.  Syrian troops moved in force in February 1987.
• Amin Jemayel's presidency expired on Sept. 23, 1988.  In Oct. 1989, Lebanese Christian and Muslim deputies approved a peace accord and the new national assembly selected a president.
• General elections held in August 1992; mostly pro-Syrian members elected to legislature.
• In the multi-round parliamentary elections in Sept. 1996, pro-Syrian candidates won a major victory.