The New York Times. January 3,
1919.
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- 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.
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