Lebanon

Between early 1975 and late 1976 Lebanon was torn by civil war between its Christians--then aided by Syrian troops--and its Muslims and their Palestinian allies. The cease-fire established in October 1976 between the domestic political groups generally held for about six years, despite occasional fighting.

Syrian troops constituted as the Arab Deterrent Force by the Arab League have remained in Lebanon. Syria's move toward supporting the Lebanese Muslims and the Palestinians and Israel's growing support for Lebanese Christians brought the two sides into rough equilibrium, but no progress was made toward national reconciliation or political reforms--the original cause of the war.

Continuing Israeli concern about the Palestinian presence in Lebanon led to the Israeli invasion of Lebanon in June 1982. Israeli forces occupied all of the southern portion of the country and mounted a summer-long siege of Beirut, which resulted in the evacuation of the PLO from Beirut in September under the supervision of a multinational force (MNF) made up of US, French, and Italian troops.

Within days of the departure of the MNF, Lebanon's newly elected president, Bashir Gemayel, was assassinated. In the wake of his death, Christian militiamen massacred hundreds of Palestinian refugees in two Beirut camps. This prompted the return of the MNF to ease the security burden on Lebanon's weak Army and security forces.

In late March 1984 the last MNF units withdrew. Lebanese Parliamentarians met in Taif, Saudi Arabia in late 1989 and concluded a national reconciliation pact that codified a new power-sharing formula, specifiying a Christian president but giving Muslims more authority. Rene Muawad was subsequently elected president on 4 November 1989, ending a 13-month period during which Lebanon had no president and rival Muslim and Christian governments.

Muawad was assassinated 17 days later, on 22 November; on 24 November Ilyas Harawi was elected to succeed Muawad. In October 1990, the chances for ending the 16 year old civil war and implementing Ta'if were markedly improved when Syrian and Lebanese forces ousted renegade Christian General Awn from his stronghold in East Beirut.

Awn had defied the legitimate government and established a separate mini-state within East Beirut after being appointed acting Prime Minister by outgoing President Gemayel in 1988. Awn and his supporters feared Ta'if would diminish Christian power in Lebanon and increase the influence of Syria.

Since the removal of Awn, the Lebanese Government has reunited the capital city and implemented a phased plan to disarm the militias and gradually reestablish authority throughout Lebanon. The army has deployed from Beirut north along the coast road to Tripoli, southeast into the Shuf mountains, and south to the vicinity of Sidon.

Many militiamen from Christian and Muslim groups have evacuated Beirut for their strongholds in the north, south, and east of the country. Some heavy weapons possessed by the militias have been turned over to the government, which has begun a plan to integrate some militiamen into the military and the internal security forces.

Lebanon and Syria signed a treaty of friendship and cooperation in May 1991. Lebanon continues to be partially occupied by Syrian troops, which are deployed in East and West Beirut, its southern suburbs, the Bekaa Valley, and throughout northern Lebanon. Iran also maintains a small contingent of revolutionary guards in the Bekaa Valley and South Lebanon to support Lebanese Islamic fundamentalist groups.

Israel withdrew the bulk of its forces from the south in 1985, although it still retains troops in a 10-km-deep security zone north of its border with Lebanon. Israel arms and trains the Army of South Lebanon (ASL), which also occupies the security zone and is Israel's first line of defense against attacks on its northern border. The following description is based on the present constitutional and customary practices of the Lebanese system.

Since 1975 civil war has seriously damaged Lebanon's economic infrastructure, disrupted economic activity, and all but ended Lebanon's position as a Middle Eastern entrepot and banking hub. Following October 1990, however, a tentative peace has enabled the central government to begin restoring control in Beirut, collect taxes, and regain access to key port and government facilities.

The battered economy has also been propped up by a financially sound banking system and resilient small- and medium-scale manufacturers. Family remittances, foreign financial support to political factions, the narcotics trade, and international emergency aid are main sources of foreign exchange.

Economic prospects for 1991 have brightened, particularly if the Syrian-backed government is able to maintain law and order and reestablish business confidence. Rebuilding war-ravaged Beirut is likely to provide a major stimulus to the Lebanese economy in 1991.