the lebanese civil wars, 1975-1990

• what were the triggers for the war in Lebanon?

  arrival of the PLO- destabilised Lebanon. A dispute about business deals in the Sidon fishing industries. on the 13th April 1975, assassination attempt on Phalangist leader.
• when was Lebanon admitted to UN as an independent state?

  1945
• why were the Palestinians a significant source of instability?


  many of them came as refugees from the 1948-9 war and 1967 war.
• why was the PLO the most destabilising influence?

  their armed forces set up more bases in Lebanon after they were expelled from Jordan in 1970. Dominated southern lebanon and they frequently bombed jewish settlements and villages in the Galilee region- led to Israeli reprisals.
• In 1975, what did the government order its army to do?


  to regain control of the south
• who were the Palestinians helped by?

  Lebanese Muslims
• what religion was the Lebanon army made up of mostly?

  Christian maronites
• What did a PLO suicide squad to in 1978?

  went further south and attacked a bus near Tel Aviv, killing 37 passengers.
• what did a 16 year old Lebanese Muslim girl do in 1985?

  drove a car with explosives towards a group of Israeli soldiers,-killed herself and 2 Israeli soldiers
• how was Syria involved?

  by 1976, Syrian forces had entered the country-saw this as an opportunity to get involved.
• Why did Israel get involved?

  instability in Lebanon gave Israel the opportunity to pursue the prime foreign policy objective- destroy the PLO and establish a 'friendly' government in Beruit.
• who ruled the Lebanese Maronites?

  French
• why did the French favour the Maronites?

  the Christian community was revived, as the Europeans arrived-they regarded them as a natural ally.
• what was the impact of French favour on the Maronite community?

  they were given very important posts by the French colonisers. Many had received a French eductaion
• What was the impact of the 1932 census?

  According to the census, the ration of Christians to Muslims was 6:5. This ratio served as a framework and so the constitution fixed a condition which ensured that for every 6 Christian deputies in the Assembly there would be 5 Muslim deputies
• What did the National Pact 1943 reaffirm?

  the 1932 census and maintained same balance of power in parliament
• what religion was the president?


  a maronite
• what religion was the prime minister?

  sunni muslim
• what religion was the speaker?

  shi'a muslim
• what did Maronites also have control over?

  army
• what did the National Pact of 1943 claim to do?

  ensure a 'pragmatic representative system'-allowing a compromise that would preserve the state
• what in reality did the national Pact 1943 enforce?

  enforced and gave permanence to the division and denied lebanon any form of national homogeneity
• where did the shi'a community migrate?

  north of Lebanon
• what was the impact of PLO presence in Lebanon?

  upset the delicate balance of the country, many groups felt under threat so formed militias
• why did the shi'a migrate north?

  due to the Palestinians settling in their region- they struggles to make a living as there was greater competition in the job market and their lives were at risk as they became the target of Israeli reprisals
• which countries started to show a greater interest in lebanon and why?

  Syria-quite authoritative regime and wanted to have influence over Lebanon as they had an illegitimate government and wanted to rec-create a 'greater Syria' Israel-concerns over the PLO
• what were the 3 key groups in Lebanon?

  the christians, Druze and Shi'as
• what did the Christians believe?

  believed in the sovereignty and independence of Lebanon. Against Palestinian presence as they did not want the Arab-Israeli conflict
• what did the Druze call for?

  the abrogation of the national Pact and defended the Palestinians and their cause against Israel
• did the Lebanese President ask assist from Syria?

  yes
• when was the Taif Agreement?


  1989
• what did the taif agreement cover?

  political reforms, end of the War, new relations between Lebanon and Syria and complete Syrian withdrawal from Lebanon
• what did the Taif agreement form the principle of what?

  'mutual coexistence' between Lebanon's different sects