Lebanese Phalanges

See also: Phalange

The Lebanese Phalanges (rear RTL الكتائباللبنانية Al Kataëb Al Lubnaniyya ) were founded in 1936 by Pierre Gemayel, George Naccache (journalist) and Charles Hélou (these two last will leave the formation quickly). The movement is opposed then to the presence of the France to the Lebanon.

The Phalanges took as a starting point the Italian and Spanish Fascism, preaching nationalism and economic protectionism. During the years 1936 to 1943, the party phalangist is illustrated in street battles de for the sovereignty of Lebanon and of its Christian majority (at the time), vis-a-vis the Moslems.

However, they briefly collaborated with the group sunnite Al-Najjadah in 1943 to obtain independence.

The phalanges make prevail a nationalist and protectionist ideology, claiming old Phéniciens, one of the first people of Lebanon, rather than of the Arab . Although laic (like the Baath party), the phalanges are a movement mainly Maronite. This political training, supports Lebanon with Christian predominance.

Phalanges after independence

The surge of Palestinian refugees in 1948 is regarded as a threat by the movement (just as the majority of Lebanese) because of the modification of the delicate Community balance to the country of the Cedar, because the Moslems would be then more numerous. The formation tries to be opposed to the establishment refugees on the Lebanese ground and to the rise to power of the terrorist organization of the PLO (after 1967), which seize Beirut. The Phalanges will constitute one of the principal Lebanese militia as from the Seventies. Whereas his/her father Pierre Gemayel remains nominally with the head of the Kataeb , his/her Béchir son creates at the end of the 1970 Lebanese Forces which, little by little, include the other Christian militia.

Phalanges in the civil war

In 1975, the movement asserts 80.000 members. In 1982, whereas Israel invades the Lebanon in order to drive out the PLO of Beirut, Béchir, leader in fact of the Phalanges, is elected president, supported by his community. But he is assassinated the September 14th 1982. His/her brother Amine Gemayel is elected in his place. In the night from September 16th to 17th, a unit phalangist directed by Elie Hobeika penetrates in the districts of Sabra and Chatila and kills out of 700 to 3500 people, mainly out of the Palestinians, in order to take again control of the capital of the country.

Pierre Gemayel dies in 1984. Elie Karamé succeeds to him then (1984-86) followed Georges Saadeh (1986-98). The party then takes its distances with the Syria, but adopts the Accords of Taëf of 1989 which found IIe République Lebanese. Amine Gemayel and some of her friends is opposed and leaves to it in exile after the nomination a military government chaired by Michel Aoun. Shortly after the signature of the agreement of Taëf is reached that Amine Gemayel denounces. The nomination of the new government hardly likes the Lebanese Forces which put the hand on the socio-economic institutions founded by Amine Gemayel outgoing president and obliges it to leave Lebanon in October 1988.

Phalanges after the war

Within the party, divisions are accentuated in connection with the Syrian presence. The chief of the political office, Boutros Khawand is removed on September 5th, 1992. According to Human Rights Watch, he would have been imprisoned in the military prison of Mezze in Damas, and thereafter transferred to the detention center from Tadmur.

After the death of Georges Saadeh, it is Mounir Al-Hajj which takes the head of the party in March 1999, shortly after the election of Emile Lahoud to the presidency of the Republic. Hajj tries to promote a realignment of the party on Damas. But this policy is strongly fought in-house. Its alliance with legislative of 2000 with the Minister of Interior Department pro-Syrian Michel Murr causes wrong to Hajj. Murr had proposed to him to be reproduced on its list of Metn in the sides of members of the Parti social Syrian nationalist, favorable to the annexation of Lebanon by Syria, and which had fought the Lebanese Forces during the civil war. However Hajj is beaten and cannot reach the government.

On this occasion, it is dislocated presidency of the Phalanges. Consequently, two candidates enter in string: Amine Gemayel returned of her exile in July 2000 and Karim Pakradouni. This last is elected with the head of the party on October 4th, 2001, thanks to strong Syrian interferences in the internal electoral process, and causes a scission between militants pro-Gemayel and pro-Pakradouni.

November 21st, 2006, Pierre Amine Gemayel, Minister of Industry and wire of Amine Gemayel, is assassinated the day before the authorization by UNO of the installation of an international court to judge the authors of the assassination of the Prime Minister sunnite Rafic Hariri.

September 19th, 2007, an car bomb attack cost the life to the deputy Antoine Ghanem, member of the political office of the party, right before the presidential elections.

References

External bonds

  • Official site of Kataëb

  • Site of the Social Democratic party of Kataëb

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