Lebanon

For other uses, see Lebanon (disambiguation).

33°51′39″N 35°51′28″E

الجمهورية اللبنانية Al-Jumhūriyyah al-Lubnāniyyah Lebanese Republic
Flag Coat of arms of Lebanon Coat of arms
Motto: Kūllūnā li-l-waṭan, li-l-'ula wa-l-'allam (Arabic for "Us all! For our Nation, for our Emblem and Glory!")
Anthem: Kulluna lil-watan lil 'ula lil-'alam
Capital and largest city	Beirut
Official languages	Arabic
Government	Republic
• President	Émile Lahoud
• Prime Minister	Fouad Siniora
Independence  From France
• Declared	November 26, 1941
• Recognised	November 22 1943
• Water (%)	1.6%
Population
• 2006 estimate	3,874,050 (129th)
• 1970 census	2,126,325
GDP (PPP)	2005 estimate
• Total	$19.49 billion (103rd)
• Per capita	$5,100 (90th)
HDI (2003)	0.759 high (81st)
Currency	Pound (LL) (LBP)
Time zone	UTC+2
• Summer (DST)	UTC+3
Calling code	961
ISO 3166 code	LB
Internet TLD	.lb

Lebanon, officially the Lebanese Republic (Arabic: الجمهورية اللبنانية), is a small, largely mountainous country in the Middle East, located at the eastern edge of the Mediterranean Sea. Lebanon is bordered by Syria to the north and east, and Israel to the south, with a narrow coastline along its western edge. The flag of Lebanon features the Lebanon Cedar in green against a white backdrop, with two quarter-height horizontal red stripes on the top and bottom. The Lebanese coat of arms is similar, but it has a normal drawing of the Lebanon Cedar on a middle white stripe with maroon exterior stripes. When viewed left to right, the stripes go up diagonally.

The name Lebanon (also "Loubnan" or "Lebnan") is derived from the Semitic root "LBN", meaning "white", a reference to snow-capped Mount Lebanon. In British English, the country is sometimes referred to with the definite article as "the Lebanon," like the Sudan, the Ukraine, or the Gambia. Lebanon is also home to many different religious and ethnic groups.

Up until the Lebanese Civil War (1975-1990), the country enjoyed a remarkable regional prosperity. Right after the end of that war, a widespread effort to revive the Lebanese economy and infrastructure was put into effect and the first positive results became recently visible. Beirut's reconstruction was almost complete and a mounting number of tourists were pouring into Lebanon's resorts. However, starting on August 12, 2006 and after a considerable degree of stabilization had been achieved throughout much of the country, the Israeli–Lebanese conflict brought mounting military and civilian casualties, great damage to civilian infrastructure, and massive population displacement.

History

Main article: History of Lebanon

Early history until 1943 independence

Lebanon was the homeland of the Phoenicians, a seagoing people that spread across the Mediterranean before the rise of Alexander the Great. Carthage, which threatened Rome, was a Phoenician colony. Alexander burned Tyre, the leading Phoenician city, ending the Phoenician independence. The country became part of numerous succeeding empires, among them Persian, Roman, Byzantine, Arab, Crusader, and Ottoman.

Lebanon was part of the Ottoman Empire for over 400 years, but following World War I, the area became a part of the French Mandate of Syria. On September 1, 1920, France formed the State of Greater Lebanon as one of several ethnic enclaves within Syria. Lebanon was a largely Christian (mainly Maronite) enclave but also included areas containing many Muslims and Druzes. On September 1, 1926, France formed the Lebanese Republic. The Republic was afterward a separate entity from Syria but still administered under the French Mandate for Syria.

Lebanon and Syria both gained independence in 1943, while France was occupied by Germany. General Henri Dentz, the Vichy High Commissioner for Syria and Lebanon, played a major role in the independence of both nations. The Vichy authorities in 1941 allowed Germany to move aircraft and supplies through Syria to Iraq where they were used against British forces. The United Kingdom, fearing that Nazi Germany would gain full control of Lebanon and Syria by pressure on the weak Vichy government, sent its army into Syria and Lebanon.

After the fighting ended in Lebanon, General Charles de Gaulle visited the area. Under various political pressures from both inside and outside Lebanon, de Gaulle decided to recognize the independence of Lebanon. On November 26, 1941, General Georges Catroux announced that Lebanon would become independent under the authority of the Free French government. Elections were held in 1943 and on November 8, 1943 the new Lebanese government unilaterally abolished the mandate. The French reacted by throwing the new government into prison. In the face of international pressure, the French released the government officials on November 22, 1943 and accepted the independence of Lebanon.

The allies kept the region under control until the end of World War Two. The last French troops withdrew in 1946. Lebanon's unwritten National Pact of 1943 required that its president be a Christian and its prime minister be a Muslim. Lebanon's history since independence has been marked by alternating periods of political stability and turmoil (including a civil conflict in 1958) interspersed with prosperity built on Beirut's position as a regional center for finance and trade.

The 1948 Arab-Israeli war

Main article: 1948 Arab-Israeli war

In 1947, Lebanon's Muslim prime minister, Riad Solh, urged the Arab League to prevent the partition of Palestine, and backed the creation of the Arab Liberation Army. On May 15, 1948, Lebanese military units crossed the Palestine border at Rosh HaNikra to attack the newly proclaimed Jewish State, Israel. The attack failed.

After a string of Israeli victories in the Jordan Valley, the Arab Liberation Army, commanded by Gen. Fawzi Kaukji found itself cut off from its Syrian bases, and Lebanon took over logistical support. On 31 October, 1948, the Arab Liberation Army was soundly defeated at the Battle of Sasa and forced to flee into Lebanon, the new Israel Defense Forces in pursuit. Lebanon immediately accepted an armistice and the IDF withdrew. The border remained closed, but quiet, until after the 1967 Six Day War.

The Lebanese Civil War

Main article: Lebanese civil war

Until the outbreak of the so-called Lebanese civil war, an umbrella term indicating a series of battles most of which resulted from a regional rather than Lebanese influence, Beirut, the capital of Lebanon, was noted for its wide boulevards, French-style architecture, and modernity, and was called "the Paris of the Middle East". Lebanon as a whole was known as the Switzerland of the Middle East (Swisra Ash Shark), enjoying a similar conflict-free status as Costa Rica in Central America and (until recently) Uruguay in South America.

Beginning of the war

After the 1948 Arab-Israeli war, Lebanon became home to more than 110,000 Palestinian refugees who had fled from the newly established state of Israel. More Palestinian refugees arrived after the 1967 Arab-Israeli war and Black September. By 1975 they numbered more than 300,000 with Yassir Arafat's Palestine Liberation Organization in charge of their political and military activities. During the early 1970s, difficulties arose over the increase of Palestinian refugees in the south. Initially, fighting began between these Palestinians (referred to as "anti-Lebanese militias" by some) and the indigenous Lebanese "leftists" (the communists and socialist parties). As the fighting intensified, the sides involved became more distinct. On one side was the Christian resistance led first by Bachir Gemayel and later by Samir Geagea. The other side comprised a coalition of Palestinian refugees, Sunni Muslim, and Druze forces who were united in their detestation of the 1943 National Pact. The (so-called civil) war left the nation with no effective central government.

Syrian intervention and consequent occupation of Lebanon

In June, 1976 Syria sent 40,000 troops into Lebanon to prevent the Maronite militias from being overrun by Palestinian Ezzat forces. Together the Syrians and Maronites pushed the Palestinians out of Beirut and into southern Lebanon. Over the next few years, shifting political climates resulted in Syria being allied with the Palestinians and some of the Maronites allied with Israel. Syrian forces remained in Lebanon, effectively dominating its government until 2005 and eradicating individual freedoms. Some Lebanese prisoners of conscience remain in Syrian jails today.

First Israeli invasion and occupation

After numerous cross-border attacks by Palestinian groups in southern Lebanon against civilians in Israeli territory, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) invaded on March 14, 1978 in what was titled the Litani River Operation. A few days later, the United Nations Security Council passed resolutions 425 and 426, calling for the withdrawal of Israeli forces, removal of the militant Palestinian forces, and establishing an international peace-keeping force in southern Lebanon, the United Nations Interim Force In Lebanon (UNIFIL). In 1978 Israel completed the withdrawal of its troops, and turned over control of southern Lebanon to the pro-Israel South Lebanon Army of mostly Christian locals. Pro-Palestinian forces remained in the region in violation of the UN cease-fire agreement.

Second Israeli invasion and occupation

On June 6, 1982 Israel again invaded Lebanon with the objective of evicting the PLO. Israeli forces occupied Ezzat areas from the southern Lebanese border with Israel northward into areas of Beirut. Israel's plans for Lebanon suffered a severe setback on September 14, 1982, with the assassination of the Phalangist leader and President-elect Bachir Gemayel, who was regarded as secretly sympathetic to Israel. In the days following, the Phalangist militia, under the command of Elie Hobeika, moved into the Sabra and Shatila refugee camps, and committed the first Sabra and Shatila massacre, with the consent of the Israeli Defense Force under the direction of Ariel Sharon as the Minister of Defense, who was later found personally responsible for not avoiding the massacre by the Kahan Commission. Hezbollah, a Lebanese Shia Islamic military and political group, formed from 1982 to combat the Israeli occupation. Also in 1983 the militants killed 241 service men and women from the U.S. Marine Corps in the 1983 Beirut barracks bombing.

Map of Lebanon

Israel began a gradual withdrawal from the conquered areas in September 1983, which was officially complete in June 1985, with Israel holding on to a "security zone" along the mutual border.

Israel withdrew from the "security zone" in the spring of 2000, under the Prime Minister Ehud Barak, who formerly ruled over the security zone as Chief of Staff. Israel continues to control a small area called Shebaa Farms, which Lebanon and Syria claim to be Lebanese territory but Israel insists to be former Syrian territory with the same status as the Golan Heights. The United Nations has determined that Shebaa Farms are not part of Lebanon. The UN Secretary-General concluded that, as of 16 June, 2000, Israel had withdrawn its forces from Lebanon Ezzat in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 425 of 1978, bringing, in the UN's opinion, closure to the 1982 invasion.

Despite common belief, there has been no formal declaration of war between Lebanon and Israel throughout the past conflicts, although on 13 July 2006 officials in both countries called recent engagements "act[s] of war." The two countries do not maintain any open ties and rely on third parties to be intermediaries in any disputes.

International mediation

A multinational force landed in Beirut on August 20, 1982 to oversee the PLO withdrawal from Lebanon, and US mediation resulted in the evacuation of Syrian troops and PLO fighters from Beirut.

This period saw the rise of radicalism among the country's factions, and a number of landmark attacks against American forces, including the destruction of the US Embassy by a truck bomb and an even deadlier attack on the Beirut barracks, occupied by US and French soldiers.

1988 and 1989 saw unprecedented chaos. The Parliament failed to elect a successor to President Amine Gemayel (who had replaced his slain brother Bachir in 1982), whose term expired on 23 September. Fifteen minutes before his term expired, Gemayel appointed an interim administration headed by the army commander, General Michel Aoun. His predecessor, Selim al-Hoss, refused to accept his dismissal in Aoun's favour. Lebanon was thus left with no president, over 40 armed militias, and an interim government led by the General Aoun. This government aimed for free election, without the interference of either the Syrian or the Israeli occupation forces. This required either the withdrawal of these two occupation forces or the supervision of the elections by the United Nations.

End of the military war, continuation of the Syrian occupation

The 1989 Arab League-sponsored Taif Agreement marked the final stages of the military war, but neither the end of the Syrian occupation nor the economic war against Lebanon. It is estimated that during the 15 year military war more than 100,000 were killed, and 100,000 maimed.

The Lebanese Liberation Movement

The legitimacy of the 1989 Taif agreement was contested by a portion of the population who viewed it as means to institutionalize a confessional political system. Popular protests occurred intermittently between 1989 and 1990 in support of the stand taken by the 1989 interim prime minister in Lebanon, General Michel Aoun. The General Michel Aoun demanded the withdrawal of Syrian and Israeli forces as a condition to having free parliamentary elections; the goal of the then-interim government. He contested these two occupations as justified by so-called “internal confessional conflict”, which was more of a series of foreign military manipulations. In October 1990 the Syrian occupation drove the head of the interim government, the General Aoun, into exile to Paris and the Lebanese patriotic movement he led moved underground until the Syrian withdrawal in 2005.

On May 25 2000, Israel unilaterally completed its withdrawal from the south of Lebanon in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 425 of 1978. On September 2, 2004, the United Nations Security Council, recalling previous resolutions, especially 425 (1978), 520 (1982) and 1553 (July 2004), approved Resolution 1559, sponsored by the US and France. The resolution suggests that "all foreign forces should withdraw from Lebanon" to allow for free elections. Although not explicitly mentioned, the aim of the resolution was to invoke a withdrawal of Syrian forces. The enactors of the Taif agreement however did not enact the clause asking the Syrian occupation to withdraw from Lebanon, or heed the UN Security Council’s decision. The Lebanese patriotic movement has intensively lobbied for the withdrawal of the Syrian army from Lebanon since 1989 in governments throughout the western world. This withdrawal was catalyzed in its final stage by the assassination of Prime Minister Hariri in 2005.

Reconstruction, or debt?

After the end of the military war and the continuation of the Syrian occupation, the Lebanese economy was on the decline. The country was supposedly recovering from the effects of the war, with foreign investment and tourism on the rise, yet debt was rising and the standard of living was declining. Syrian forces occupied large areas of the country until April 2005 (see Cedar Revolution below), and Iran exercised heavy influence over Hezbollah forces in the Beqaa Valley and Southern Lebanon. Lebanese civil society enjoyed relatively more freedoms than elsewhere in the Arab world, but some Lebanese were still marginalized, and others are still prisoners of conscience in Syrian jails. The government boasted the 12 year-span reconstruction of downtown Beirut, now largely complete. However the major owner, Solidere, took hold of the properties in downtown Beirut through a manipulation of the constitution. Lebanon's telecommunication rehabilitation was also considered well underway by the government, and it boasted the 2004 and 2005 $1 billion strong foreign investment in the country. In parallel debt was rising. Solidere has also announced many projects that will be completed in 2007. Unlike the optimistic government, the Lebanese patriotic movement had recognized the urgent need to bring Hezbollah out of marginalization and into the ranks of Lebanese citizens, in order to avoid further conflict with Israel. This led to an understanding of disarmament signed between Hezbollah and the Lebanese patriotic movement, on February 6, 2006.

Cedar Revolution

Main article: Cedar Revolution

Note: International media coined the term "Cedar Revolution", but Lebanese media also uses the term "Intifada (uprising) of Independence."

Hariri assassination

File:Hariri2002.jpg

Rafik Hariri (1944-2005)

During its occupation, some people alleged that Syria was responsible for assassinations of politicians and media personalities in Lebanon. The last allegation was the assassination of Hariri. The reaction to Hariri's assassination led to Syria's withdrawal from Lebanese territory.

The event that triggered this outcry was on February 14 2005, when Lebanon was shaken by the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri in a car bomb explosion. It is believed by some that Syria was responsible for the attack, due to its extensive military and intelligence presence in Lebanon, and to the public rift between Hariri and Damascus over the Syrian-backed constitutional amendment extending pro-Syrian President Lahoud's term in office. Syria denies any involvement, and others have suggested it was carried out by Israeli's secret service MOSSAD and/or the CIA, to force the withdrawal of Syrian troops from Lebanon, making an Israeli invasion feasible.

The UN Mehlis report into the assassination suggested it was carried out with such sophistication that it could only be possible with the backing and resources of a government institution. As such it is commonly accepted that there is a conspiracy behind this assassination.

Shortly following the assassination, Lebanese prosecutors issued warrants for the arrest of six Australian nationals who flew out of Beirut to Sydney Australia within hours of the explosion. Lebanese security officials claimed seats in which the Australians were seated tested positive for traces of explosives. The Australian Federal Police interviewed ten individuals in Sydney upon the arrival of the flight out of Beirut and tested three of the men for explosives. While sniffer dogs had first picked up suspicious scents in the aircraft seats occupied by the men, forensic tests later proved negative. Within forty eight hours the Australian Federal Police absolved the individuals wanted by the Lebanese officials of any involvement in the crime.

The Mehlis report does make note of the Australians as suspects and to quote the report noted "that there were six SIM cards used in connection with the assassination and that usage on the SIM cards had terminated at the time of the explosion. Noting that there were six suspicious Australians and six suspicious SIM cards, an unusual coincidence, the Commission believed that a review of the Australian and Lebanese investigations into this area would be prudent." Upon reviewing the Australian investigation the Mehlis report came to this conclusion "...the investigation carried out by the Australian authorities and the findings obtained should be considered as conclusive." Given the choice of accusing the Australian authorities of a cover up or the Lebanese authorities, the final conclusion of the report unequivocally implicates the Syrian and Lebanese security agencies in the assassination.

On June 2 2005, the journalist and historian Samir Kassir, also a founding member of the Democratic Left Movement was assassinated by a car bomb.

Less than one month later, on June 21 2005, George Hawi, the former Secretary General of the Lebanese Communist Party was also assassinated by a car bomb in Beirut.

On September 25 2005, there was a failed assassination attempt on a Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation news anchor, in which May Chidiac lost her left leg below the knee and received severe injuries to her left arm, later resulting in the amputation of her left hand. Since then, May Chidiac won the UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize 2006.

On December 12 2005, the journalist Gebran Tueni, editor-in-chief and CEO of the An-Nahar newspaper, was assassinated by a car bomb in the suburbs of Beirut.

Demonstrations

The assassination of Hariri resulted in huge anti-Syrian protests by Lebanese citizens in Beirut demanding the resignation of the pro-Syrian government. Following the examples of the Rose Revolution (Georgia) and Orange Revolution (the Ukraine) in 2004, the popular action was dubbed the "Cedar Revolution" by the US State Department, a name which quickly caught on among the international media. Incidentally, a similar outcry occurred in 1989 in response to the same Syrian occupation, which was already viewed by Lebanese patriots as oppressive. However the 1989 events were blacked out by the international media. On February 28, 2005, with over 70,000 people demonstrating in Martyrs' Square, Prime Minister Omar Karami and his Cabinet resigned. They remained in office temporarily in a caretaker role prior to the appointment of replacements, as outlined by the constitution.

In response, Hezbollah organized a large counter-demonstration of 1.2 million people [1], staged on March 8 in Beirut, supporting Syria and accusing Israel and the United States of meddling in internal Lebanese affairs. This shift between Hezbollah and the Lebanese was repaired in February 2006 when the Lebanese patriotic movement, eager to promote Lebanese citizenry among all its people, reached an understanding of disarmament with Hezbollah. This diplomatic initiative was however lost on the Lebanese government, still in majority engrained in its petty Sunnie / Shiite rivalries, as well as on the Arabic, Muslim and Israeli nations. The idea of Lebanese citizenry, a 21st century notion in contrast with the traditional identification to clans, seemed to be limited to the Lebanese patriotic movement, albeit desired by Hezbollah, as shown by the initiative they took (and yet later abandoned).

On March 14, one month after Hariri's assassination, throngs of people rallied in Martyrs' Square in Lebanon with up to 1.5 million people, [2]. Protestors of all sects (even including a number of Shiites) marched demanding the truth about Hariri's murder and independence from Syrian occupation. The march reiterated their desire for a sovereign, democratic, and unified country, free of Syria's hegemony.

In the weeks following the demonstrations, bombs were detonated in Christian areas near Beirut. Although the damage was mostly material, these acts demonstrate the danger of Lebanon relapsing into sectarian strife.

Eventually, and under pressure from the international community, Syria withdrew its 15,000-strong army troops from Lebanon. The last Syrian uniformed soldier left Lebanon on April 26, 2005. On April 27, 2005, the Lebanese celebrated their first free-from-Syria day.

Mangled parliamentary elections

After weeks of unsuccessful negotiations to form a new government, Prime Minister Omar Karami resigned the post for the third time in his political career on 13 April 2005. Two days later, Najib Mikati, a US-educated millionaire businessman and former Minister of Transportation and Public Works, was appointed Prime Minister-designate. A moderate pro-Syrian, Mikati secured the post through the support of the Opposition, which had previously boycotted such negotiations.

During the first parliamentary elections held after Syria's withdrawal from Lebanon in May 2005, the anti-Syrian coalition of Sunni Muslim, Druze and Christian parties led by Saad Hariri, son of assassinated ex-Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, won a majority of seats in the new Parliament. The Free Patriotic Movement however, did not ally with the Rafik Harir Martyr list during these elections because they were seen by some as still attached to their sectarian identities. Thus the FPM won a minority of seats in the parliament.

The combinations were interesting in that in some areas the anti-Syrian coalition allied with Hezbollah and others with Amal. They did not win the two-thirds majority required to force the resignation of Syrian-appointed President Lahoud voted for by Rafic Hariri parliamentary bloc, due to the unexpectedly strong showing of retired army general Michel Aoun's Free Patriotic Movement party in Mount Lebanon. General Aoun was previously known for his anti-Syrian sentiment, Aoun aligned with politicians who were friendly to the Syrians in the past decade: Soleiman Franjieh Jr and Michel Murr. Their alliance dominated the north and the Metn District of Mount Lebanon. Saad Hariri and Walid Joumblat joined forces with the two staunchly pro-Syrian Shiite movements, Hezbollah and Amal, to secure major wins in the South, Bekaa, and Baabda-Aley district of Mount Lebanon. This alliance proved temporary and the last vestiges of civility between Joumblatt, who has called for the disarmament of Hezbollah, and the Shi'ite coalition came crashing down in December 2005. On February 6, 2006, Hezbollah signed an understanding of disarmament with Michel Aoun, which fell on deaf ears among all other parliament coalitions, even though it was an opportunity to save Lebanese from future horrid attacks by Israel.

New government, old mentalities

After the elections, Hariri's Future Movement party, now the country's dominant political force, nominated Fouad Siniora, a former Finance Minister, to be Prime Minister. His newly formed representative government has obtained the vote of confidence from the parliament despite the lack of representation of Gen. Aoun.

On July 18, 2005, Lebanon has a newly elected parliament. It is dominated by an anti-Syrian coalition, yet which is pro-sectarian in its thinking, and in its disdain to Hezbollah's diplomatic initiative to disarm and join the socio-political structure. This parliament approved a motion to free Samir Geagea, who had spent most of the past 11 years in solitary confinement in an underground cell with no access to news. The motion was endorsed by pro-Syrian Lebanese President Émile Lahoud the next day. The following months proved the government's inability to begin the economic and political reforms promised to the people. Little has been done to pull the country out of the economic crisis in which it lingers still. Whilst the government loses credibility, the opposition, mainly comprised of Amal and Hezbollah (who are part of the government) and Gen. Aoun, is growing in popularity, even amongst other communities than Christians and Shi'as, not that this movement ever identified itself to religion, but only to Lebanon. Since the beginning of May, a series of demonstrations and strikes began to appear, proof of the people's discontent. [3]

Criminal investigation

On September 1, 2005, four current and former officials of Lebanon – the former head of General Security Maj Gen Jamil Sayyad, the former chief of police Maj Gen Ali Hajj, the former military intelligence chief Brig Gen Raymond Azar, and the commander of the Republican Guard Brig. Gen. Mustafa Hamdan – were charged in connection with Hariri's assassination.[4]

On October 21, Detlev Mehlis, lead investigator in the UN Hariri Probe, released the report of the investigation. The report said that "many leads point to the direct involvement of Syrian Officials". [5]

Following the appointment of Mehlis' successor, the Belgian Serge Brammertz, in January 2006 the investigation has taken a different course after the new investigator decided to throw out evidence upon which Melhis had earlier relied. Brammertz' investigation has been conducted in a far more discreet manner and has been marked by a considerable more positive tone between the UN team and Damascus. Brammertz' 30-page report of June 2006 accused no specific party of perpetrating the crime, while asking for the investigation's mandate to be extended for another year [6].

Withdrawal of Syrian troops

Major General Jamil Sayyed, the top Syrian ally in the Lebanese security forces, resigned on April 25, 2005. The following day the last 250 Syrian troops withdrew from Lebanon.

During the departure ceremonies, Syria's Chief of Staff Gen Ali Habib said that Syria's president had decided to recall his troops after the Lebanese army had been "rebuilt on sound national foundations and became capable of protecting the state."

UN forces led by Senegalese Brig Gen Mouhamadou Kandji were sent to Lebanon to verify the military withdrawal which was mandated by UN Security Council Resolution 1559.

Current situation

See also: 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict

THIS IS PURE PROPAGANDA IN FAVOR OF HEZBOLLAH. HEZBOLLAH IS A TERRORIST GROUP. THEY STARTED THE WAR BY CROSSING THE BORDER AND KILLING AND KIDNAPPING IN ISRAELI TERRITORY. THESE FACTS WERE RECOGNIZED NOT ONLY BY HASSAN NASRALLAH BUT BY ALL INTERNATIONAL PRESS AGENCIES. YOU CANNOT CHANGE THE HISTORY. WIKIPEDIA SHOULD NOT ALLOW THIS!!!

On 12 July 2006, Lebanon was once again the stage for conflict, this time between Israel and Hezbollah. Hezbollah resistance fighters attacked Israeli Soldiers after they crossed the much debated United Nations Blue Line and infiltrated into Lebanese soil. Three Israeli soldiers were killed and two were arrested. [7]. [8] [9]. The two soldiers that were captured were moved further into Lebanon, and it was declared that they are in good condition. Hezbollah leader, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, announced that the arrested Israeli soldiers would be released only as an exchange for hundreds of Lebanese citizens captured in Israeli prisons. The Israeli Prime Minister, Ehud Olmert, called the cross-border act and the soldiers' capture "acts of war" and his Cabinet approved a wide offensive in Lebanon [10]. There is also evidence to the contrary that the attack by Israel had in fact been premeditated and planned months in advance [11] [12]. On 16 July 2006, world leaders attending the G8 summit in St. Petersburg, Russia, issued a joint statement on the crisis. In the statement, these leaders blamed Israel for using "unproportional and unmeasured military response" leading to a major devastation on the Lebanese side. It requested that Israel "exercise utmost restraint, seeking to avoid casualties among innocent civilians and damage to civilian infrastructure and to refrain from acts that would destabilize the Lebanese government."[13].

The latest official Lebanese death toll stands at 1300 total- 1230 civilians, 31 Lebanese soldiers and 60 Lebanese Hezbollah resistance fighters. About 100 civilian corpses were dugged out from under the rubble of their houses a week after the ceasefire was initiated as Israel refused to give permission for the Lebanese Red Cross to come for their rescue during the Israeli offensive. Over 4,051 Lebanese were left wounded. The Higher Relief Council put the overall death toll at 1,400 and said one-third were children (under the age of 10) and the majority were civilians. Lebanese officials unofficially stated 4,500 Israeli bombing raids on Lebanon. Over $3.5 billion worth of damage was caused to infrastructure; $9.4 billion overall including the oil spill clean up. The official Israeli death toll stands at 157 total - 118 soldiers and 39 civilians. Over 860 Israelis were left wounded. There were 3,970 Hezbollah rocket retaliatory strikes. Israel suffered $3 billion in damages and lost revenue from tourism.

The Israeli war on Lebanon has resulted in the grave destruction of a large part of Lebanon's infrastructure including the international airport, sea ports, many roads, all bridges on the Beirut - Damascus international highway and on other major roads linking various parts of Lebanon, a lighthouse, wheat silo, milk factories, petrol stations, factories, hundreds of pick-up trucks and fuel storage tanks. Israel claimed that it was targeting the supply channels of arms from Syria and Iran to Hezbollah. It is believed that more than a million civilians from Lebanon have fled their homes to escape the Israeli air strikes.

The level of destruction that has hit Lebanon has been described by the country's Prime Minister Fuad Seniora as "unimaginable." Seniora sent a desperate cry for the world to help stop the violence, as Israeli airstrikes were largely destroying postwar reconstruction in Lebanon spanning almost two decades. Israel has said it will only consider a ceasefire if two goals are met – the removal and disarmament of Hezbollah, and the return of the two Israeli soldiers. Although the government of Lebanon has appealed to the United Nations for aid in an immediate cease fire, the United States and the United Kingdom, did not respond to the Lebanese request, declaring that the "the circumstances are not right for a ceasefire". France, Russia and China, on the other hand, were in favour of an unconditional and immediate ceasefire before any UN resolution is produced.

On 25 July 2006, four unarmed UN observers from Austria, Canada, China and Finland, died after their UN post in the town of Khiam was accidentally hit by an Israeli air strike, a day before the Rome-summit which was called to find a solution for the crisis. According to retired Canadian Major General Lewis MacKenzie, Paeta Hess-von Kruedener, the Canadian observer who died at the attack, Hizbollah fighters were not seen close to the UN post.

Kofi Annan considered the death of the observers to be premeditated, which led to strong indignation from Israel. Following U.S. pressures, the UN Council did not condemn the Israeli attack on the UN observer post but settled for expressing its shock at the bombing. China, which had one of its peacekeepers killed in the air strike, had wanted a stronger statement condemning Israel for attacking the UN soldiers.

On 30th July 2006, The UN Security Council expressed its "shock and distress" at an Israeli air strike on a residential building in Qana during which 30 Lebanese, all civilians and many of them children, were killed. Israel first declared that the building was used by Hezbollah to launch missile attacks on Israel. A Quana massacre survivor, interviewed by BBC, said Hezbollah fighters were never seen on sight. Israel later declared the attack was a "military mistake".

Following the air strike blunder at Qana, Israel announced that it would hold a 48-hour truce, an initiative welcomed by Hezbollah who also declared that they would abide by the truce so that humanitarian aid would reach the wounded in the Southern villages. Israel, however, resumed its air-strikes less than 8 after this announcement killing more Lebanese civilians.

Politics

Main article: Politics of Lebanon

Lebanon is a republic in which the three highest offices are reserved for members of specific religious groups:

• the President must be a Maronite Catholic Christian.
• the Prime Minister must be a Sunni Muslim, and
• the Speaker of the Parliament must be a Shi'a Muslim.

This arrangement is part of the "National Pact" (Arabic: الميثاق الوطني - al Mithaq al Watani), an unwritten agreement which was established in 1943 during meetings between Lebanon's first president (a Maronite) and its first prime minister (a Sunni), although it was not formalized in the Lebanese Constitution until 1990, following the Taif Agreement. The pact included a promise by the Christians not to seek French protection and to accept Lebanon's "Arab face", and a Muslim promise to recognize independence and legitimacy of the Lebanese state in its 1920 boundaries and to renounce aspirations for union with Syria. This pact was thought at the time to be an interim compromise, necessary until Lebanon formed its own sense of a national identity. Its continued existence and the fallout from subsequent civil wars continue to dominate politics in Lebanon.

The pact also stipulated that seats in the Parliament would be allocated by religion and region, in a ratio of 6 Christians to 5 Muslims, a ratio based on the 1932 census, which was taken at a time when Christians still had a slight majority. The Taif Agreement adjusted the ratio to grant equal representation to followers of the two religions.

The Constitution grants the people the right to change their government. However, from the mid-1970s until the parliamentary elections in 1992, civil war precluded the exercise of political rights. According to the constitution, direct elections must be held for the parliament every four years. The last parliament election was in 2000; the election due to be held in 2004 was postponed for one year.

The parliament composition is based more on ethnic and religious identities rather than ideological features. The distribution of parliament seats has been modified recently.

Template:Parliament of Lebanon The Parliament elects the President of the republic to a six-year term. Consecutive terms for the president are forbidden. This constitutional rule has been bypassed by ad-hoc amendment twice in recent history, however, at the urging of the Syrian government. Elias Hrawi's term, which was due to end in 1995, was extended for three years. This procedure was repeated in 2004 to allow Emile Lahoud to remain in office until 2007. Pro-democracy campaigners denounced the moves.

The last presidential election was in 1998. The President appoints the Prime Minister on the nomination of the Parliament. Lebanon has numerous political parties, but their role is less important than in most parliamentary systems. Most represent, in practice if not in theory, sectarian interests; many are little more than ad-hoc lists of candidates endorsed by a well-known national or local figure. Electoral tickets are often formed on a constituency-by-constituency basis by negotiation among local leaders of clans, religious groups, and political parties; these loose coalitions generally exist only for the election and rarely form cohesive blocs in the Parliament subsequently.

Lebanon's judicial system is based on the Napoleonic Code. Juries are not used in trials. The Lebanese court system has three levels - courts of first instance, courts of appeal, and the court of cassation. There also is a system of religious courts having jurisdiction over personal status matters within their own communities, with rules on matters such as marriage, divorce, and inheritance. Lebanese law does not provide for Civil marriage (although it recognizes such marriages contracted abroad); efforts by former President Elias Hrawi to legalize civil marriage in the late 1990s floundered on objections mostly from Muslim clerics. Additionally, Lebanon has a system of military courts that also has jurisdiction over civilians for crimes of espionage, treason, and other crimes that are considered to be security-related. [14] These military courts have been criticized by human rights organizations such as Amnesty International for "seriously fall[ing] short of international standards for fair trial" and having "very wide jurisdiction over civilians". [15]

Administrative divisions

Lebanon is divided into six governorates (mohafazat, singular - mohafazah), which are further subdivided into 25 districts (Aqdya, singular - qadaa), also divided into several municipalities enclosing a group of cities or villages.

• Governorates of Lebanon
• Districts of Lebanon
• Cities and Villages in Lebanon

Administrative division.

Geography

Main article: Geography of Lebanon

See also: Southern Lebanon

A Middle Eastern country, Lebanon is bordered on the west by the Mediterranean (coast: 225 km) and to the east by the Syro-African Depression. Lebanon borders Syria for 375 kilometres to the north and to the east and Israel for 79 kilometres to the south. The border with Israel has been approved by the United Nations (see Blue Line (Lebanon)), although a small piece of land called Shebaa Farms located in the Golan Heights is claimed by Lebanon but occupied by Israel, who claim that it is actually Syrian land. The UN has officially declared this region to be Syrian and not Lebanese territory, but Hezbollah occasionally launches attacks against Israeli positions within it, under the banner of freeing Lebanese territory.

Economy

Main article: Economy of Lebanon

Lebanon has a market-based economy. The economy is service-oriented; main growth sectors include banking and tourism. There are no restrictions on foreign exchange or capital movement, and bank secrecy is strictly enforced. There are practically no restrictions on foreign investment.

The 1975-1991 civil war seriously damaged Lebanon's economic infrastructure, cut national output by half, and all but ended Lebanon's position as a Middle Eastern entrepot and banking hub. Peace has enabled the central government to restore control in Beirut, begin collecting taxes, and regain access to key port and government facilities. Economic recovery has been helped by a financially sound banking system and resilient small- and medium-scale manufacturers, with family remittances, banking services, manufactured and farm exports, and international aid as the main sources of foreign exchange.

Lebanon has witnessed a growth in the past couple of years. Bank assets have reached over 70 billion dollars. Even though Lebanon was down 10% in the tourism sector in 2005, more than 1.2 million tourists visited Lebanon. Market capitalization is at an all time high. Capitalization reached over $7 billion at the end of January 2006. However, a major economic decline is expected as a result of the Israeli strike of July 2006.

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Lebanon

The population of Lebanon is composed of three predominant ethnic groups and religions: Muslims (Shi'ites, Sunnis, Alawites), Druze, and Christians (mostly Maronite Catholics, Greek Orthodox, Armenian Apostolic, Melkite Greek Catholics, as well as Syriac Orthodox, Armenian Catholics, Syriac Catholics, Chaldean, Latin Rite Roman Catholics, Assyrians, Copts and Protestants).

No official census has been taken since 1932, reflecting the political sensitivity in Lebanon over confessional (religious) balance. It is estimated that about 35% are Christians, 35% are Shia Muslims, 25% are Sunni Muslims and 5% are Druze[16] There used to be a small minority of Jews, mostly living in central Beirut. Also, a small community (less than 1%) of Kurds (also known as Mhallamis or Mardins) live in Lebanon. There are approximately 15 million people of Lebanese descent, mainly Christians, spread all over the world, Brazil being the country with the biggest Lebanese community abroad. Argentina, Australia, Canada, Colombia, France, Mexico, Venezuela and the US also have large Lebanese communities.

360,000 Palestinian refugees have registered in Lebanon with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) since 1948, estimates of those remaining range between 180,000 and 250,000.

The urban population, concentrated mainly in Beirut and Mount Lebanon, is noted for its commercial enterprise. A century and a half of migration and return have produced Lebanese commercial networks around the globe from North and South America to Europe, the Persian Gulf, and Africa. Lebanon has a high proportion of skilled labor comparable to most European nations.

Education

Main article: Education in Lebanon

History of education in Lebanon

The first two ministries to be established for education in Lebanon were the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, and the Ministry of Vocational and Technical Training, to enrich the Lebanese educational system. In 1946, after independence (26 November, 1941) the Lebanese government replaced the old curriculum program, coming from the French mandate, by new ones and the Arabic language was imposed upon all schools as a primary language, mandatory in the different phases of education. The government also left students the freedom to choose a second or third language (French, English, etc…). Then in 1968 and 1971, the curriculum was changed again. Each step of the educational phases was specified with a defined goal and the contents of the public examinations were also particularized. Before the war, in 1975, Lebanon held one of the highest literacy rates in the Arab world. Over 80% of the Lebanese people could read and write. But ever since then, Lebanon has been in a state of chaos that has consumed its people, all due to the civil war and foreign intervention that took place. When the war was declared ‘over’, the Lebanese took a start on rebuilding their cultural society in the educational domain and encouraging education through free and facilitated methods.

Schools in Lebanon

Lebanese schools are divided into three categories-private, public, and mid-private. Public schools, are under government authority (Ministry of Education) and free, supported by tax money. The Ministry of education provides all the public schools with the books needed, for each educational level, for negligible prices and often for free. Mid-private schools, mainly parochial schools- such as the ‘Ecoles des Saint Coeurs’, are those that operate as private schools yet charge fees like public schools. The rest of the tuition fee is subsidized by the government.

All Lebanese schools are required by the government to follow a prescribed curriculum designed by the Ministry of Education. Private schools may also add more courses to their curriculum with approval from the Ministry of Education. Computer lessons, for example, are now very common in many schools although they are not a part of the traditional mandatory curriculum. For the schools without computer facilities, any student interested may take up computer courses at private institutions or centers available in almost all the Lebanese districts.

Public schools altogether amount to a total of 192 high schools and 1,125 elementary schools. Of the high schools, 16 are strictly for boys, 12 are girl schools, and 164 are mixed. In the elementary school, a total of 238,556 students are enrolled and taught by 24,463 teachers. In all the schools, pupils receive their instructions from the teachers of each subject taught and not one classroom teacher. In each class room there is about 25 pupils (some public schools may have up to 40 pupils due to the lack of teachers). The main subjects taught would be Mathematics, Sciences, History, Civics, Geography, Arabic, and French/English/both. Other rotating teachers within the school teach Physical education, Art, library use (not available in all), and in private schools, mainly, counsellors.

Curriculum in Lebanese schools

Public, private, and mid-private schools must follow a uniform curriculum set by the Council of Education years, for children aged 6 to 11

• Intermediate - Four years, students earn Intermediate Certification at completion
• Secondary - Three years, students who pass official exams earn a Baccalaureate Certificate in mathematics, experimental science or philosophy

These four phases are provided free to all students and are, by law, compulsory. Nevertheless, the ‘compulsory’ part is not currently enforced. There are plans to change this in the near future.

Universities and colleges

Following high school, Lebanese students can choose to study at a university, a college, an institute, or a "high technical school". The number of years to complete each program varies.

Lebanon has 15 universities of which the American University of Beirut (AUB) and the Lebanese American University are internationally recognized. AUB was the first English university to open in Lebanon, while the first university to open was the French school Université Saint Joseph. The 15 universities, both public and private, largely operate in Arabic, French, or English as these are the most widely used languages in Lebanon. There are 4 French institutions, 7 English, and 1 Armenian. Generally, these schools also teach in Arabic as it is the most commonly spoken language, yet the official language is used as a basis for their programs.

At the English universities, students who have graduated from an American-style high school program enter at the freshman level to earn their baccalaureate equivalence from the Lebanese Ministry of Higher Education. This qualifies them to continue studying at the higher levels. These students, at this point, are required to have already written the SAT I, SAT II, and TOEFL in lieu of the official exams.

Transportation

Main article: Transportation in Lebanon

Culture

File:Jupiter Baalbek.jpg

Baalbek Ruins

Main article: Culture of Lebanon

Lebanon has been a major crossroads of civilizations for millennia, so it is unsurprising that this small country possesses an extraordinarily rich and vibrant culture. Lebanon's wide array of ethnic and religious groups contributes to the country's rich cuisine, musical and literary traditions, and festivals. Beirut in particular has a very vibrant arts scene, with numerous performances, exhibits, fashion shows, and concerts held throughout the year in its galleries, museums, theatres, and public spaces. Lebanese society is modern, educated, and perhaps comparable to European societies of the Mediterranean. Most Lebanese are bilingual, speaking Arabic and French, this is why Lebanon is a member state of the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie; however, English has become popular, especially among university students. The country is not only where Christianity intermingles with Islam, but Lebanon is also an Arab gateway to Europe and a European bridge to the Arab world.

Lebanon also hosts several prestigious universities, including the Lebanese University, the American University of Beirut, the Université Saint-Joseph, and the Lebanese American University.

Several international festivals are held in Lebanon, featuring world-renowned artists and drawing crowds from Lebanon and abroad. Among the most famous are the summer festivals at Baalbek, Beiteddine, and Byblos.

See also

• Communications in Lebanon
• List of Lebanon-related topics: an attempt to list every Lebanon-related article on Wikipedia.
• List of Lebanese people: a list of well-known Lebanese people, including some foreigners of Lebanese ancestry.
• Military of Lebanon
• South Lebanon conflict
• Transportation in Lebanon
• Conflict: Middle East Political Simulator

References

• Fisk, Robert. Pity the Nation: The Abduction of Lebanon. New York: Nation Books, 2002.
• Holst, Sanford. Phoenicians: Lebanon's Epic Heritage. Los Angeles: Cambridge and Boston Press, 2005.
• Norton, Augustus R. Amal and the Shi'a: Struggle for the Soul of Lebanon. Austin and London: University of Texas Press, 1987.
• Riley-Smith, Johnathan. The Oxford Illustrated History of the Crusades. New York: Oxford University Press, 2001.
• Salibi, Kamal. A House of Many Mansions: The History of Lebanon Reconsidered. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1990.
• Also see references for History of Lebanon

External links

Web portals

• Bluleb - Lebanese Web Portal
• Islamic Aid Islamic Aid is an international relif and development organisation working to help alleviate poverty and suffering among the world's poorest communities.
• Naharnet
• LebanonLinks.com - Lebanon Links Lebanon Portal since 1997, Directory, Search Engine and Resource information for Lebanon.

Government

• The Lebanese Governmental Portal for Information & Forms
• Official site of the President of the Lebanese Republic
• Official site of The Lebanese Parliament Template:Ar icon
• Template:En icon Template:Ar icon Template:He icon The Lebanese Republic Higher Relief Commission (Government assistance to internally displaced and injured civilians)
• Central Administration for Statistics
• Ministry of Tourism
• Internal Security Forces
• The Lebanese Armed Forces
• General-security.gov.lb
• Lebanon Customs site
• Central Bank of Lebanon
• Beirut Stock Exchange
• Embassy of Lebanon, Washington, D.C.

News

• PCH Press Israel To Stop Bombing of Lebanon For 48 Hours

• The Daily Star national daily newspaper in English
• Updates on the aggression against Lebanon (updated news on the war from a Lebanese point of view)
• An-Nahar national daily newspaper Template:Ar icon
• Al-Mustaqbal national daily newspaper Template:Ar icon
• As-Safir national daily newspaper Template:Ar icon
• AL-Balad national daily newspaper Template:Ar icon
• Addiyar national daily newspaper Template:Ar icon
• Ya Libnan independent news in English
• L'Orient - Le Jour national daily newspaper in French Template:Fr icon
• New TV
• Israel-Lebanon War Desk
• LBC
• Future TV
• Télé Lumière (Christian religious-themed channel)
• Al-Manar TV (Hezbollah channel)
• Radio Mix FM
• Radio Nostalgie Liban
• 99 FM
• Sawt El Ghad
• Electronic Lebanon online news
• Tayyar updated news on the Free Patriotic Movement websiteTemplate:Ar icon
• Ya Libnan independent news in English
• NewsXS aggregated news headlines and rss-feed
• United Nations - Mehlis Report official report of the investigation into Hariri's assassination
• Vote961 Lebanon News aggregates news from various sources on-the-fly using AJAX.
• Libnanews: news from Lebanon Template:Fr icon
• Save Leb: News and information on the current attacks against Lebanon
• Russia Might Get Involved in the Middle East Conflict
• Diplomacy Monitor - Documents Affecting Lebanon
• Lebanon News.Net online national news service

Culture and education

• UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Lebanon
• Al-Bustan Festival, Beit Meri
• Baalbek Festival
• Beiteddine Festival
• Byblos Festival
• The National Museum of Beirut
• Documentaries - History, Science and Arts

See also: List of universities in Lebanon

Tourism

• Info Lebanon Information about Lebanon, Both Touristic and Historic.
• Discover Lebanon
• Destination Lebanon
• Photos of Lebanon
• Rediscover Lebanon
• MEA-Middle East Airlines

General information

• Civil War 1975 to 1990 & War on Lebanon 2006 Pictures
• Movie Clip: Lebanese Civil War 7 minutes
• Lebanon - Al Mashriq Extensive information about Lebanon, including maps and pictures.
• Lebanon at the The World Factbook
• LebWeb.com - The Lebanon Guide Lebanon directory, Lebanon news, Lebanon web resources.
• Open Directory Project - Lebanon directory project
• Go-Leb! Proud to be Lebanese -Lebanon Lebanese directory of links
• US State Department - Lebanon includes Background Notes, Country Study and major reports
• Google Map
• Lebanon Profile Ynetnews

Lebanese people

• The Center for Democracy in Lebanon
• Lebanon White Pages (leb.org)|Find Lebanese
• Window in Lebanon (The First Lebanese Blog in French)
• Lebanese Families and Maronite History
• Helem (Lebanese GLBT association)
• Mazenkerblog (Mazen is still drawing under the bombs !)
• Sanayeh Relief Center (helps internally displaced civilians)
• Lebnanews: lebanon newswire the latest news on Lebanon
• Witnessing (again) (Laure Ghorayeb drawing war)

Lebanese conflicts