Institute for Domestic & International Affairs, Inc.
League of Arab States Lebanon Director: Lilly Gannone
Š 2010 Institute for Domestic & International Affairs, Inc. (IDIA) This document is solely for use in preparation for Philadelphia Model United Nations 2010. Use for other purposes is not permitted without the express written consent of IDIA. For more information, please write us at idiainfo@idia.net
Policy Dilemma ______________________________________________________________ 1 Chronology__________________________________________________________________ 3 8 May 1958 - Assassination of Nasib al-Matni __________________________________________ 3 11 June 1958 - UNOGIL____________________________________________________________ 4 June 1967 - Six Day War ___________________________________________________________ 4 13 April 1975 - Lebanese Civil War __________________________________________________ 5 15 October 1976 - Rise of the Palestine Liberation Organization __________________________ 5 February 1995 - Stock Market_______________________________________________________ 6 May 2000 - Israeli withdrawal _______________________________________________________ 6 15 February 2005 - The Cedar Revolution _____________________________________________ 7 16 April 2005 - Syrian Withdrawal ___________________________________________________ 7 July 2006 ________________________________________________________________________ 8 June 2009 ________________________________________________________________________ 8
Actors and Interests ___________________________________________________________ 9 Palestine Liberation Organization ___________________________________________________ 9 Israel___________________________________________________________________________ 10 Hezbollah _______________________________________________________________________ 11 Arab League ____________________________________________________________________ 12
Current Problems____________________________________________________________ 13 Refugees and Displaced Persons ____________________________________________________ 13
Possible Causes _____________________________________________________________ 15 Sectarian Population______________________________________________________________ 15 Weak Government _______________________________________________________________ 16
Conclusion _________________________________________________________________ 18 Discussion Questions _________________________________________________________ 19 Bibliography________________________________________________________________ 20 For Further Reading______________________________________________________________ 20 Works Cited_____________________________________________________________________ 21
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Policy Dilemma Lebanon became an independent state in 1946, after France declared the nation free in 1941 and withdrew all troops in 1946.1 The establishment of an independent government and democratic state was not without its challenges. Lebanese citizens had minimal faith in the new government, especially following the corrupt elections of the new president. Bishara Khoury was elected the first President of the independent state of Lebanon in 1947. Following his two terms, the second of which was due to an amendment made to the constitution by Khoury to extend the number of terms served by the President, Khoury was forced to resign due to a strike in 1952.2 Camille Chamoun became President after Khoury’s resignation. During his time as President, Chamoun would begin the Lebanese tradition of partisan leadership. He was of the Maronite population and held strong the values of his people. For years to follow Lebanese leadership would represent only a portion of the diverse population at a time. Since the establishment of the nation of Lebanon, the territory has been a refuge for various religious groups, all seeking and struggling to secure power for themselves.3 Adding to the complicated social structure and diverse population, Lebanon has taken the brunt of the ongoing war between Israel and Palestine. The United Nations decision to separate Palestine into two distinct regions in 1947, greatly affected the newly freed Lebanese state. For the years following the Palestinian break up, Lebanon was fraught by war due to its close proximity. The war quickly spilled over into the Lebanese boarder, bringing the nation into the conflict. The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), borne out of an idea of the Arab League, fought to bring Israeli land back to Palestine, while the Israeli troops fought to keep the land the were given and religiously entitled to. The conflict, viewed by the international community as a religious war, is more closely linked to a war of territory, with each side holding a sense of entitlement to the land they are 1
Pogany, Istvan. The Arab League and Peacekeeping in the Lebanon. St. Martin’s Press, (New York, 1987), page 42. 2 Ibid, page 43. 3 Grafton, David D. The Christians of Lebanon: Political Rights in Islamic Law, Tauris Academic Studies, (New York, 2003), page 4.
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fighting over. The southern territory of Lebanon was not part of the land in question, but because the nation existed so closely to the conflict area, the fighting moved into Lebanon. The prolonged war in Palestine after the proclamation of the state of Israel, left Lebanon to support 140,000 new Palestinian refugees. The influx of Palestinian refugees led to the displacement of citizens of Lebanon, which consequently created social strife and debate within Lebanon. Tensions began to arise among Muslim, Arab, and Christian populations due to the religious roots in the in the Israeli Palestinian conflict as well as the partisan actions of the Lebanese government. Even today, Muslim populations predominantly support the Palestinian effort to regain their territory in Israel, while Christian and Maronite groups feel the presence Palestinian refugees and the strain of the war is detrimental to the state of Lebanon. In 1984, in conjunction with Arab-Israeli conflict spillover, Syria once again became the dominant external power influencing the Lebanese government.4 Syrian dominance has remained a key concern underlining the fragile state of the Lebanese government. The Arab community closely watches the problems in Lebanon, one of the founding members of the Arab League. As a key player in the international Arab community, Lebanon received assistance from the Arab League throughout the years of the Arab-Israeli conflict. From the beginning of the Arab-Israeli conflict, the Arab League has taken a firm standing against the creation of Israel. The League went so far as to denounce and boycott the Israeli nation within the first years of the enactment of the UN resolution. Lebanon has close ties to the conflict and for this the Arab League has responded in offering assistance in the way of peacekeeping and defense assistance. The conflict today is much less severe, but the social and economic troubles faced by the Lebanese are still very much a major concern. The Arab league was formed to create a means for Arab states to communicate with one another in order to improve political and
4
Auburn Associates, The Middle East, Eleventh Edition, Congressional Quarterly Press, (Washington DC, 2007), page 351.
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economic matters, thus the League must shift their focus in Lebanon from security to rebuilding a state. Social problems stemmed from the Arab-Israeli conflict, but were more closely tied to issues of political neglect, poverty, religious bias, and territorial disputes than social stigmas. The creation and rise of the Hezbollah army in southern Lebanon kept the Arab-Israeli conflict very much a part of Lebanon. While Hezbollah believed their actions were intended to aid the Palestinian people, both militarily and socially, the international community began to view their tactics as dangerous and terrorist-like. Though Israeli troops were asked to leave Lebanon and did so, under a UN resolution passed in 1998, they returned and continued to wage war in Lebanese territory in 2006. The social problems created and exacerbated by the Palestinian and Israeli conflict remain a major constriction in the rebuilding of Lebanon. The Lebanese government must work to rebuild a free and democratic nation for its people, where each religious and ethnic base is equally represented and all social problems are heard.
Chronology 8 May 1958 - Assassination of Nasib al-Matni Civil War broke out in Lebanon after the assassination of Nasib al-Matni, the owner of the Beirut newspaper. The fragile state of the diverse Lebanese society began to unravel and soon led citizens to revolt against the government or each other. Al-Matni’s paper frequently printed stories criticizing the president Camille Chamoun;5 Chamoun was favored by the Maronite and Christian communities, but mistrusted by the Arab sects of the population. Following the murder, the Muslim United National Front called for the resignation of president Chamoun. After years of tension amongst partisan groups, the Muslim United National Front believed the Chamoun administration was responsible for the murder of the al-Matni. The Chamoun administration had been accused of fraud and
5
Pogany, Istvan. The Arab League and Peacekeeping in the Lebanon. St. Martin’s Press, (New York, 1987), page 44.
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corruption prior to al-Matni murder, so al-Matni’s death merely solidified the beliefs held by the factions of the Lebanese population that were already against president Chamoun.
11 June 1958 - UNOGIL Following the United Nations decision to spilt Palestine into two separate states, conflict and war in the region erupted and Lebanon quickly felt the repercussions. Lebanon at the time was already dealing with internal conflicts; the already tenuous social structure, a byproduct from an ongoing civil war, was further burdened with the war of their neighbors. The Lebanese appeal for United Nations assistance during the conflict resulted in the creation and implementation of United Nations Observer Group in the Lebanon (UNOGIL).6 UNOGIL was assigned to determine whether the conflict within Lebanon was the result of exterior aggression. The Lebanese government feared their Arab neighbors had infiltrated their borders as a result of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. After the investigation, the UN found no evidence of border infiltration and activity during the conflict. Conflict remained within Lebanon because of the fighting in Palestine. Lebanon was still in need of assistance, requesting and receiving aid from the United States government.
June 1967 - Six Day War War between Israeli forces and the armies of Egypt, Syria, and Jordan broke out in June of 1967. The conflict spilled over into Lebanon due to the close proximity of the nations and Lebanon’s history of involvement in the conflict. The demographics of the Lebanese population were directly influenced by the 1967 war and throughout the course of the war, the overflow of Palestine refugees led to civil unrest in state lines. By the end of the conflict, Palestinian refugees accounted for twelve per cent of the Lebanese population. When war erupted between Israeli and Palestinian forces in Palestine, the Palestinian guerrilla forces within Lebanon became increasingly active. Palestinian
6
Ibid, 45.
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attacks against Israel consequently led Israeli forces to target Lebanese territories. The actions of the Palestinian guerilla forces led to the uprising of latent tensions within the Lebanese population. Muslim groups in the nation favored the Palestinian movement and supported their fight against Israel, while Maronite groups felt Palestinian action within their nation’s boarders threatened the wellbeing of the Lebanese community.
13 April 1975 - Lebanese Civil War Disputes between Israel and Palestine continued to plague the citizens of Lebanon. In 1975, both Israel and Palestine used Southern Lebanon as a territory to wage war. Unrest within Lebanon furthered local tensions among citizens as major Lebanese factions supported different parties in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.7 The general population of Lebanon was split in their beliefs on the matter of Palestine. This was a common theme in Lebanon for decades, however, April 13, 1975 was the day that the Israeli- Palestinian conflict officially over ran national policy in Lebanon; April 13, 1975 marked the start of the Lebanese Civil War. On the morning of April 13th, an unidentified bus car fired on the leader of the Christian Phalange, Pierre Gemayel, in Ayn-al-Rummanah, a Christian suburb of Lebanon. While he was not harmed in the assassination attempt, four of his bodyguards died in the crossfire. Later that day, a busload of PLO militants drove through the same neighborhood and was ambushed by the enraged members of Phalange. Twenty-seven Palestinians were killed in the ambush. The news got wind of the two incidents and before the end of the evening, there were citywide riots in Beirut8.
15 October 1976 - Rise of the Palestine Liberation Organization Following years of social tension regarding the Israel and Palestine conflict and the continuous presence of Syrian troops, Lebanon called on the aid of the Arab League. The Arab League’s overwhelming support for the Palestinian plight in the matters of the 7 8
Ibid, page 55. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/819200.stm
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Arab-Israeli conflict as was evidenced by the Arab League’s creation of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO).9 Fighting between the PLO and Israeli forces grew and spread across Lebanese territory, thus creating more tension amongst the Lebanese population. Once the Lebanese government recognized the stress of the Arab-Israeli conflict on its people, the government decided to call on the Arab League to demand aid in ending the fighting within Lebanese boarders. The Arab League and Syria both got involved in trying to minimize the effects of the civil war but the rebellions continued until 1990.
February 1995 - Stock Market Following years of fighting and social destruction the Lebanese government began to rebuild the infrastructure and economy of the nation. In February, the government allocated USD $1 million to finance the reopening of the stock exchange, which was closed since 1983.10 Israeli and Palestinian occupation of the nation kept the economic state of Lebanon shaky and unreliable. The reopening of the stock exchange was the first attempt made by the government to reconstruct the nation’s economic wellbeing. This reconstruction was cut short by a nationwide strike against the Israeli occupation of southern Lebanon.11 The strike halted all business and hindered further economic rehabilitation. Sectarian tensions within the diverse population and Israeli occupation further inhibit the prosperity of the Lebanese people.
May 2000 - Israeli withdrawal Israeli troops completed a full withdrawal of all forces in southern Lebanon following a UN resolution passed in 1998.12 A small group of UN peacekeepers were deployed to the Israel/Lebanon border to insure a peaceful and complete withdrawal of
9
Auburn Associates, The Middle East, Eleventh Edition, Congressional Quarterly Press, (Washington DC, 2007), page 565 10 Ibid. 11 Ibid. 12 The CIA World Fact book, Lebanon, Transnational Issues, https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-worldfactbook/geos/le.html, accessed 25 October 2009.
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Israeli troops.13 Due to years of conflict, the weak Lebanese government and army remained far removed from the territory. Following the complete withdraw of all Israeli forces, the Lebanese Security Forces entered southern Lebanon for the first time in over two decades.14 Upon the withdrawal of the Israeli army, Hezbollah took de facto control over the region. This was particularly divisive; Hezbollah control forced certain sects of the Lebanese population to flee the area in fear.
15 February 2005 - The Cedar Revolution A massive bombing in Beirut led to the assassination of Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri.15 The attack was traced to Syria, sparking anti-Syrian demonstrations and social outcry.16 Overwhelming Syrian presence and dominance in Lebanese affairs had plagued the Lebanese people and the prosperity of the nation since the 80s. This involvement had been contentious but the assassination of the Prime Minister spurred social protest that was decades in the making. At the helm of the Anti-Syrian demonstrations was Hezbollah. The demonstrators demand the pullout of all Syria forces and their demands are met by March, when Syria begins to pullout troops from the northern territories of Lebanon.17
16 April 2005 - Syrian Withdrawal Syria withdrew all troops from Lebanon after the continuation of demonstrations and Hezbollah lead protests and in accordance with the United Nations resolution drafted to request the complete withdraw of all Syrian troops from Lebanon, passed in 2004. After years of Arab-Israel presence in Lebanon, Syrian presence only hindered the nation’s rehabilitation further; years of Syrian dominance and control over the Lebanese government inhibited political stability within the government. Though officials in the
13
Auburn Associates, The Middle East, Eleventh Edition, Congressional Quarterly Press, (Washington DC, 2007), page 589. 14 Ibid, page 589. 15 Blanche, Ed. Lebanon: At the Crossroads, The Middle East, (July 2008) 16 Auburn Associates, The Middle East, Eleventh Edition, Congressional Quarterly Press, (Washington DC, 2007), page 613. 17 Ibid, page 613.
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Lebanese Parliament and Cabinet, as well as the Prime Minister and President are democratically elected, Syrian presence in government dealings questioned any actions and decisions preformed or made by the government.
July 2006 Starting in July, Israeli forces moved into southern Lebanon once more to wage war on Palestinian partisan groups. The area had been free from conflict since 2000, after Israeli troops withdrew in accordance with a UN resolution. The conflict raged in the area for 33 days until a UN resolution demanded Israeli troops withdraw once more.18 Israeli intrusion and the resulting war between Israel and Hezbollah uprooted tens of thousands of Lebanese in the surrounding area. The 33-day war had extremely detrimental effects on the Lebanese state, causing massive damage to the state’s infrastructure and weakening the government further.19 The conflict resulted in dramatic financial damage to the states economy and to the agricultural sector of the nation’s economy. The effect on agriculture was devastating because it accounted for 30 to 40 per cent of Lebanon’s income.20 Israeli presence and Hezbollah control in the southern regions of Lebanon has caused tremendous destruction the nation, physically, socially, and financially.
June 2009 The summer of 2009 marked the first democratic election held in Lebanon since 1972.21 The election represented the government’s attempt to rebuild the nation after decades of dismantling due to the Arab-Israeli conflict and social conflict between sectarian groups. Western media was quick to proclaim victory on behalf of democracy and new found political freedom for the Lebanese people. After the election and the 18
Ibid, 619. Ibid, 338. 20 Darwish, Ragy. Farajalla, Nadim. Masri, Rania. The 2006 war and its inter-temporal economic impact on agriculture in Lebanon, Blackwell Publishing, (October 2009), http://www.ingentaconnect.com.proxy.libraries.rutgers.edu/content/bpl/disa/2009/00000033/00000004/art00007?tok en=004614de3cea67232d45237b597a407b432c74674c3e663568263c7b1bb607ac30e47c, accessed 27 October 2009. 21 The Foreign Policy Centre. Electoral Reform in Lebanon. Analysis and Important Updates on the July 7th, 2009 Lebanese General Elections, http://lebelections.blogspot.com/, accessed 17 November 2009 19
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subsequent self-reflection of its success, the newly appointed government quickly fell into familiar patterns of social favoritism.22 Though the elections initially appeared to be founded on the grounds of political revival and reestablishment, it quickly turned into a competition for sectarian representation. In this case, the elections were a prime opportunity for the Christian sections of the population to finally acquire the equal political representation for which they had been struggling. Similar to the history of Lebanese politics, the main problem facing free and equal political opportunity still remains the fear of creating biased and partisan leadership.
Actors and Interests Palestine Liberation Organization Egypt and the Arab League originally founded the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) in 1964.23 Largely in part to the Egyptian government, the PLO was established in order to support the plight of the Palestinian people during the Arab-Israeli conflict. Upon its creation the PLO took a strong and opposing position on the UN decision to create the nation of Israel. During Yasser Arafat’s control over the PLO, the organization fought with the intention to destroy the Israel state and its inhabitants. The main objective of the PLO was to protect the Palestinian people by dismantling its enemies, the Israelis. Their program at inception called for all Jews, who had arrived after 1917, to leave the territory of Palestine. Since that time the PLO has changed and its actions have become less militant and extreme. In its Charter proclamations of a state free of Israel are envisioned and set as the ultimate goal, however this vision is not designed to create war amongst Israel and Palestine, but rather to empower the Palestinian people. As of 1993, the PLO adopted a new position which stated its approval of the UN resolutions, accepted the state of Israel,
22
Ibid. The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, Palestine Liberation Organization, Columbia University Press, (2007), http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/history/A0837351.html, accessed 11 November 2009. 23
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and called for all nations to accept the same.24 The PLO followed suit with the establishment of Israel, as stated by the UN years earlier, however fighting between members of the both groups continued. Though the PLO chose to recognize the Israeli state, they still felt the threat of Israeli presence in their preconceived territory. In recent years, fighting between the Israeli troops and the PLO has erupted due to territorial disputes. When the fighting first began, Israeli troops were given advanced weaponry from exterior nations, while Palestine was left with no such security. Soon after the PLO was formed it became apparent that in order to protect the Palestinian people, more advanced weaponry was needed. This need was soon met. As the Arab-Israeli conflict has snowballed into a major conflict, the PLO has grown to fulfill the mission of protecting its people when necessary. As an organization, the PLO may recognize Israel, but that has not hindered their active opposition in territorial disputes.
Israel Fifty years of activism and international support endorsing the creation of a homeland and religious refuge for Jews led to the creation and partition of Palestine.25 Israel received international recognition and gained the territory following the 1947 resolution passed by the United Nations. The division of Palestinian territory did not come without problems. In the years following the partition, fighting between Israel and Palestine became a major international problem. In its decision to separate the two states, the UN envisioned the wellbeing of both nations to improve upon its separation.26 Jews worldwide were highly supportive of the establishment of Israel. The territory became the homeland for all Jews and functioned as a religious stronghold for a people so persecuted during the Second World War. 24
Isseroff, Ami. The Palestinian National Charter, MidEast Web Historical Documents, http://www.mideastweb.org/plocha.htm, accessed 18 November 2009. 25 Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, United States Department of State, Israel Country Profile. (January 2009), http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/3581.htm, accessed 18 November 2009 26 The CIA World Fact Book, Israel, Introduction, https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-worldfactbook/geos/is.html, accessed 18 November 2009.
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The problems that arose after Israel’s creation mainly stemmed from territorial disputes. Some argue the Arab-Israeli conflict is mainly rooted in religion; however the conflict more strongly confronts the issue territory. Though all parties have resorted to the use of religious imagery to gain support and they all claim the area as religious homeland, the true issue remains a fight over land.27 Once given their land, Jewish people from all nations began to visit the area deemed a “birth right”. The Israeli people began to establish a government and quickly created an army in which all Israelis had to join and serve in at age eighteen. This army grew large and very capable quickly and became of grave concern to the Palestinian and other surrounding Arab states. The Israeli Defense Force (IDF) started with the external support from pro-Israel states and then grew exponentially over the years. International support for Israel and the IDF led Arab states to retaliate further; the strength of the IDF and lack of military support for the Arab states allowed Israel quickly grew dominate.
Hezbollah In response to the continued presence of Israeli troops and their plight on the Lebanese people, Hezbollah was created in 1982.28 Hezbollah is a Shiite Muslim political group based in Lebanon, which includes a militant wing of activists. Hezbollah is considered by nations like the United States as a terrorist organization. Though there are recorded accounts of terrorist–like activities executed by Hezbollah, the group also makes claims to providing major social services including but not limited to, operating schools, hospitals, agricultural services.29 Hezbollah is responsible for numerous attacks against Israeli troops within and outside of Lebanon, accounting for hundreds of deaths, both military and civilian. The most recent major conflict that Hezbollah was involved in was between Hezbollah and Israeli forces in the summer of 2006 and it resulted in hundreds of displaced Lebanese 27
Auburn Associates, The Middle East, Eleventh Edition, Congressional Quarterly Press, (Washington DC, 2007), page 33. 28 Council on Foreign Relations, Hezbollah, Backgrounder, (June 2009), http://www.cfr.org/publication/9155/, accessed 11 November 2009. 29 Ibid.
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people and the deaths of innocent civilians.30 Since its creation, Hezbollah has become an important part of the Lebanese political landscape. In 2005, Hezbollah gained 14 seats out of 128-seat Lebanese parliament. Hezbollah is based in areas of Lebanon with heavy populations of Shiite Muslims, and because they receive much support from the Shiite Muslims of Lebanon, the democratic elections favored the rise of Hezbollah representatives in government. Later in 2008, Hezbollah’s political power was bolstered following multiple militant attacks in Lebanon. The Lebanese government was forced to compromise with the group, giving them veto power with eleven of thirty cabinet seats.31 The 2009 election showed Hezbollah’s wavering support when they lost three of their fourteen seats of parliament, bring their total to eleven seats. Hezbollah is primarily concerned with the well being of Shiite Muslims. They act in retaliation to the Israeli control over a region which they believe to be Palestine. Though some of their actions remain peaceful and socially beneficial, Hezbollah’s militant habits remain a grave concern for Western nations.
Arab League The Arab League was established in response to the growing Islamic revival movement. Its formation was predominately symbolic in the sense that the league would act as a unified agreement between predominate Arab states, so as to provide a forum to discuss political action, economic rehabilitation, and overall Arab collaboration. By design, in accordance with the Alexandria Protocol, the Arab League does not have any form of ultimate power over a nation and may not intervene in any particular security matter unless asked by the nation involved. The Arab League is still a major force within the international community due to its strong representation of Arab unity and mission to promote a positive Arab image in the world. As such, the Arab League has similar goals 30
Auburn Associates, The Middle East, Eleventh Edition, Congressional Quarterly Press, (Washington DC, 2007), page 619. 31 Fordham, Alice. Lebanon Announces unity Government with Hezbollah Members, The Times Online, (November 209), http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/middle_east/article6911723.ece, accessed 11 November 2009.
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of that of the United Nations. Although its ultimate power is weak, in a sense, symbolically they both hold strong influence in the world. In cases where the Arab League has been called upon by a member state, the primary task of the League is to assess the situation and attempt to reestablish peace. This was the case for Arab League involvement in Lebanese affairs. Initial Arab League involvement in Lebanon began in 1958 with the dispute between the nation and the United Arab Republic. Lebanon’s close ties with the conflict have made it an important territory in attempts to bring about peace in the region.32 The Arab League is intended to support Arab nations, so their interest lies in the prosperity of Palestine; this support for Palestine and need for peace in the region led to the creation of the PLO. Though the Arab League was initially partially responsible for the establishment of the PLO, they do not necessarily agree with the actions of the organization. Primarily the Arab League wants peace within Lebanon and the prosperity of the Arab states.
Current Problems Refugees and Displaced Persons Lebanon is home to nearly 500,000 refugees, of which some 400,000 are Palestinian and 60,000 are Iraqi. The number of internally displaced persons in Lebanon exceeds 200,000.33 Lebanon is home to the largest number of Palestinian refugees, the majority living in high levels of abject poverty. Creating and maintaining refugee facilities is a growing concern for the Lebanese government and its people. Rebuilding and finding new homes for the population of Lebanese citizens currently displaced remains a top priority. Due to years of conflict mainly in the southern areas of Lebanon and in Beirut, some of the original sixteen refugee camps were destroyed and never rebuilt.34 The on going fighting and the continued instability of the government has left 32
Hassouna, Hussein A. The League of Arab States and Regional Disputes: A Study of Middle East Conflicts, Oceana Publications, (New York, 1975) page 61. 33 The CIA World Fact book, Lebanon, Transnational Issues, https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-worldfactbook/geos/le.html, accessed 25 October 2009. 34 The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, Lebanon Refugee Camp Profiles, figures as of June 2009, http://www.un.org/unrwa/refugees/lebanon.html, accessed 17 November 2009.
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the refugees and displaced persons of Lebanon forgotten and unaided. The Arab League has heralded the importance of Arabs working together to alleviate suffering of their own; the suffering of Palestinian refugees within Lebanon needs to be a targeted concern. The twelve remaining refugee camps suffer from a variety of problems leaving those members of the communities to live in unsuitable and sometimes detrimental situations. The camps are largely overcrowded because they were forced to accommodate additional refugees from the destroyed camps.35 The camps have little to no infrastructure, their inhabitants are largely impoverished, and there is no opportunity for employment so the levels of unemployment remain high. The environment isn’t inhabitable and the shear number of Palestinian refugees put the refugees at high risk for health problems. They do not have any social or civil rights, nor do they have access to much, if any, public health services from their government. Lebanon can do little to help the current situation, so for now the situation remains stagnant. It is imperative that the Arab League assist a member nation with their struggles.
Economic Instability Lebanon received its independence from France in 1943 and only a few decades later was thrust into the middle of the Arab-Israeli conflict. The nation had little time to construct a proper government and economic system before it was forced to handle the throws of war. War has not left the region since, leaving Lebanon to build, secure, and maintain a suitable economic state under the confines of war. Economic prosperity in Lebanon is largely based in agriculture and port city exports and imports. Aside from agriculture, the nation has little in the way of natural resources and must rely on imports from other nations.36 During the attempts solidify an economic structure, the Lebanese government began to develop a system that largely focused on trade, banking, and tourism. Prior to the Civil War starting 1975, the economic strongholds of the nation relied heavily on those three service areas. The 35
Ibid. Auburn Associates, The Middle East, Eleventh Edition, Congressional Quarterly Press, (Washington DC, 2007), page 338. 36
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15 Lebanese economy. The port city
quickly became a center point for the region’s imports and exports.37 The established economic system in Lebanon, prior to the Civil War and subsequent Arab-Israeli conflict, fell to the wayside as war began to plague the area. Beirut was near obliterated during the Civil war, destroying the nation’s commercial center. Beirut was home to the majority of Lebanese banks, hotels, tourist centers, and international business conglomerates.38 After the Civil War ended and the Arab-Israeli moved out of Lebanese territory, the government began to rebuild the nation’s capital in attempts to begin to rebuild the economy. In 2006, when Israeli forces moved in to Lebanon once more, Beirut was again destroyed and the fragile economy ruined. Any and all attempts made by the Lebanese governments to rebuild their central city and revitalize their nation’s economy have been met with continued war and disestablishment.
Possible Causes Sectarian Population The overall population of Lebanon is divided into seventeen recognized religious groups and sects.39 This division has resulted in many social conflicts since the nation acquired its independence. Though seventeen religious groups make up the population, the people are more generally divided into three distinct sects: the Maronite Christians, the Druze, and the Shiites. These religious groups section themselves geographically, with the Christians populating the north, the Druze in the central region, and the Shiites occupying the southern territory.40 Each section of the geographic breakdown in Lebanon has experienced different social constructs at any one point in time, creating a nation that geographically has never been unified. 37
Ibid, page 339. Ibid, page 339. 39 The CIA World Fact book, Lebanon, Transnational Issues, https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-worldfactbook/geos/le.html, accessed 25 October 2009. 40 Auburn Associates, The Middle East, Eleventh Edition, Congressional Quarterly Press, (Washington DC, 2007), page 340. 38
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The northern region of Lebanon, though initially largely populated with Christian, has now become a diverse region. The Mount Lebanon area, a territory which extends along the Mediterranean coast, has been a region of social conflict since the nation’s independence.41 The secular populations in this area have alternately bound together over the years to resist external control and to prevent total political control of one group at any single point in time.42 They function to procure an egalitarian state with no one part in charge of the whole. The exact demographic break down of Lebanon is unknown, as the last census recorded in the nation was 1932.43 The population has changed in structure over the years as low birth rates in some communities and high immigration rates in others have rearranged the population’s structure. Regardless of the change in population percentages, the demographics of the nation still highlight three very distinct sectarian groups. This diverse structure has directly impacted the nation’s ability to build and maintain a stable government.
Weak Government Since Lebanon gained its independence from France after World War Two, the government has gone through numerous changes of command and resignations of chiefs of state. The strongly diverse population has led to numerous political battles and has inhibited the founding of a functional and regionally acceptable
government.
Establishing any sort of cohesive government in Lebanon has been met with much opposition. As one central party gains power or attempts to create order, other groups revolt for fear of out-group oppression.44 No single group can have more power than the other in Lebanon’s highly sectarian construct. Currently the government is divided into 41
Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, United States Department of State, Lebanon Country Profile. (January 2009), http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/35833.htm, accessed 18 November 2009. 42 Auburn Associates, The Middle East, Eleventh Edition, Congressional Quarterly Press, (Washington DC, 2007), page 340. 43 Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, United States Department of State, Lebanon Country Profile. (January 2009), http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/35833.htm, accessed 18 November 2009. 44 Auburn Associates, The Middle East, Eleventh Edition, Congressional Quarterly Press, (Washington DC, 2007), page 340.
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three branches, executive; constituting the position of president, prime minister, and deputy prime minister, legislative, and judicial, similar to that of the United States, however the legislative branch functions in unicameral fashion, with only one legislative chamber.45 The actual physical structure of the government has not been the cause of debate or mistrust, instead whoever is elected or placed in control suffers much protest and debate from any one sect of the population at a time. The tenuous state of the Lebanese population has put a strong emphasis on the importance of a bipartisan leader. Since such a person has yet to exist in the executive branch of Lebanon, the citizens of the state have yet to unify totally. Continuous war and external control have imbedded the government’s ability to maintain a strong and central presence in the nation. Every opportunity the government has to rebuild and start anew war irrupts in the south and rebuilding ends abruptly. The presence of Hezbollah both in southern Lebanon and in the cabinet has been both detrimental to the government and beneficial. Hezbollah does represent a certain majority of the Lebanese population and thus must have a place in parliament, however their militant actions in the south have harmed the possibility of prosperity in the nation.
45
Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, United States Department of State, Lebanon Country Profile. (January 2009), http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/35833.htm, accessed 18 November 2009.
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Conclusion Since its national independence, Lebanon has been fraught with war and social strife. The Arab-Israeli conflict quickly spilled over into the Lebanese territory due to close proximity and has since never truly left the nation. Southern Lebanon has become the political stumping grounds for groups like Hezbollah, the PLO and other proPalestine groups. The Israeli forces, PLO troops, Hezbollah militants, and the Arab League have all played a role in the current state of Lebanon today. The continued conflict between Palestine and Israel has led to a weak government and poor economic structure. The weak state of the economy holds its roots in a system dependent on tourism and international trade. The strongly sectarian population leads to a partisan society and often partisan government. The need for harmonious agreement between all religious fractions is necessary for the development of a strong stable government. The major problems facing Lebanese society today are the high population of refugees and displaced persons and the subsequent poor state of refugee camps, the weak and ill-established government, and the feeble economy. The geographical proximity of Lebanon to the Arab-Israeli conflict makes creating peace in Lebanon integral to peace within the Arab community.
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Discussion Questions • How does the current government of Lebanon play a role in the instability of the state? • Many religious sects constitute the social structure of Lebanon, does this mélange of culture negatively or positively influence the government? Why? • Hezbollah represents both positive social presence and negative militant influence, how can their presence be more controlled and stabilized? • As the Arab league cannot force the Lebanese government to adhere to policy, what should be the Leagues role in this state's affairs? • When so many Arab states have influence on the status of Lebanon and its history, can the Arab League come to a conclusive and unbiased agreement on what should be done to improve the situation in Lebanon? • What social needs need to be met in the case of Lebanon and can one deem any problem more important than another?
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Bibliography For Further Reading Darwish, Ragy. Farajalla, Nadim. Masri, Rania. The 2006 war and its inter-temporal economic impact on agriculture in Lebanon, Blackwell Publishing, (October 2009), http://www.ingentaconnect.com.proxy.libraries.rutgers.edu/content/bpl/disa/2009/ 00000033/00000004/art00007?token=004614de3cea67232d45237b597a407b432c 74674c3e663568263c7b1bb607ac30e47c This book analyzes the impact of the 2006 War between Israel and Lebanon on the Lebanese economy especially in the Southern regions of Lebanon. The war really took a toll on the basic infrastructure of Lebanon and this delves deeper into the lasting impact of that altercation. Blanford, Nicholas. “Who Fired on Israel from Lebanon?� TIME Magazine. 8 January 2009. This article takes a closer look at the rocket that was launched in 2009 and determines the role of Hezbollah in the incident. The rocket launch really brought to question the strength of the relationship between Israel and Lebanon. It also shed light on the active role of non state actors on the stability of the region.
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Works Cited Auburn Associates, The Middle East, Eleventh Edition, Congressional Quarterly Press, (Washington DC, 2007), page 565 Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, United States Department of State, Israel Country Profile. (January 2009), http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/3581.htm, accessed 18 November 2009. Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, United States Department of State, Lebanon Country Profile. (January 2009), http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/35833.htm, accessed 18 November 2009 The CIA World Fact Book, Israel, Introduction, https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/is.html, accessed 18 November 2009 The CIA World Fact book, Lebanon, Transnational Issues, https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/le.html, accessed 25 October 2009 The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, Palestine Liberation Organization, Columbia University Press, (2007), http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/history/A0837351.html, accessed 11 November 2009 Council on Foreign Relations, Hezbollah, Backgrounder, (June 2009), http://www.cfr.org/publication/9155/, accessed 11 November 2009 Darwish, Ragy. Farajalla, Nadim. Masri, Rania. The 2006 war and its inter-temporal economic impact on agriculture in Lebanon, Blackwell Publishing, (October 2009), http://www.ingentaconnect.com.proxy.libraries.rutgers.edu/content/bpl/disa/2009/ 00000033/00000004/art00007?token=004614de3cea67232d45237b597a407b432c 74674c3e663568263c7b1bb607ac30e47c Fordham, Alice. Lebanon Announces unity Government with Hezbollah Members, The Times Online, (November 209), http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/middle_east/article6911723.ece, accessed 11 November 2009
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The Foreign Policy Centre. Electoral Reform in Lebanon. Analysis and Important Updates on the July 7th, 2009 Lebanese General Elections, http://lebelections.blogspot.com/, accessed 17 November 2009 Gordon, David C. The Republic of Lebanon: Nation in Jeopardy. Westview Press Inc., (Boulder, 1983). Grafton, David D. The Christians of Lebanon: Political Rights in Islamic Law, Tauris Academic Studies, (New York, 2003). Hassouna, Hussein A. The League of Arab States and Regional Disputes: A Study of Middle East Conflicts, Oceana Publications, (New York, 1975) Isseroff, Ami. The Palestinian National Charter, MidEast Web Historical Documents, http://www.mideastweb.org/plocha.htm, accessed 18 November 2009. Migliorino, Nicola. (Re)constructing Armenia in Lebanon and Syria: Ethno-cultural Diversity and the State in the Aftermath of a Refugee Crisis. Berghahn Books, (New York, 2008). Pogany, Istvan. The Arab League and Peacekeeping in the Lebanon. St. Martin’s Press, (New York, 1987) The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, Lebanon Refugee Camp Profiles, figures as of June 2009, http://www.un.org/unrwa/refugees/lebanon.html, accessed 17 November 2009