SINCE the 1975-6 civil war, Lebanon has been in an unending spiral of violence, which has claimed tens of thousands of victims and devastated the capital Beirut. Lebanon's unhappy fate has derived from its position as the northern neighbour of Israel. various powers fighting to East, and in particular the United States and Israel, have attempted to use the strife between the religious communities in Lebanon to divide and rule.
its northern border and to try to impose a 'friendly" government, Syria has forged a constantly changing system of alliances to ensure its position as the dominant power in the country.
Today Israel and the United States are lignting to control the south of the country and to impose the authority of the right wing Gemayel government the north central zones. To do that, they need Syrian army and defeat the forces with Syria the Druze Muslims and the Shi ite fundamentalists, Amal.
To begin to make sense of the myriad factions and their objectives, outline of the confessional structure of the state. The Maronite Christian community has gerheads with the Muslim communities the Middle Ages. But in the unluck protection of the French the Maronites became the privileged rulers. In 1943 a National Pact was signed distributed the governmental posts belwech lne different communities. While like the Sunni Muslim Portrait of Amin Gemayel in Christian area The dominate the Middle While Israel has repeatedly intervened to protect Maronite bourgeoisie its position the ruling The the history break down of National tionalism the region those the which the Lcallull revolt oppressed between Coll munities, the late and early nian The fighters Palestinian of the The Lebanese but their victory was 'Arab peace Israeli battle tank in Beirut keeping force' the Syrian army. Syria's president the leftTorialiul nationalist state While his soldiers remained the dominant force in the country, the Palestinian guerrillas maintained considerable freedom of movement and organisasion of Lebanon • aimed to destroy the PLO as political factor in Middle East politics. the PLO maintained powertul army, the over whelming majority of restinass the territories occupied by Israel looked to the PLO as their leadership Moreover, the PLO had been recognised the legitimate representative of governments over the world. But without its armed forces, the diplomatic weight of the PLO would be crushed. Plebian To ensure the defeat of the Palestinians and their expulsion from Lebanon, Israel tried to ensure the Creatol callul of strong Lebanese state under the dominance of the Christian Phalange — the party established Pierre Gemayel in 1936, modelled on the fascists.
The installed Pierre Gemayel's son Bashir as president. But Restina not primarily e representative wealthy Christian traders alie bankers, but the leader of the Lebanese Forces' Horces the ruthless Phalangist responsible for thousands of atrocities against the Muslim and Palestinian communities.
firm ally of Israel, had his base piedlal Maronite youth Bashir's assassination, probably by the Syrians, changed the situation. The new president, his brother is much closer to Amin, the richer circles of the Maronite bourgeoisie. Instead brother's straight-forward policy of "smash the Palestinians, smash the Muslims' he adopted more subtle policy. In effect, he tried TO restore le National Pact of 1943, reintegrate the Sunni and Druze hierarchies into the and preslalc abbal alus sent himself as 'the presi dent of all the Lebanese' At the same time he pushed ahead with the anti-Palestinian Cana paign. Sis eth Sabra ind massacres Shatila thousands of palestinian laVi been assassinated or imprisoned by Phalangists Lebanese army.
For period Amin's policy naa some succes. Conservative Muslim leaders became genuinely hopeful of the possibility of establishing social peace at the expense of the Palestinians and the working class of all religions.
But Amin's policy was blown apart the 'Lebanese Forces adi lethe followers of Frem. Frem the faithful follower of Bashir Gemayel, had a straightforward philo. sophy there victors and vanquished' The 'vanquished (Muslims Palestinians) should be thrown out. To that allist Frem attacks on the Druze in the Chouf mountalis waged a war of terror against Shiite and Sunni Muslims alike.
deal is elfin became early concerned about the consequences of a strong and independent Lebanon. Its soldier refused intervene in the fighting between the Lebanese Forces and Druze militias, giving tacit assistance to the Druze.
Finally, Syria began to see the possibility of being frozen out of a new National Pact, and intervened vigorously to aid the Druze and Shi'ites - the better to control them. At the same time, Syrian pre nett Assad intervenin the dispute in the PLO The objectives of the Israeli invasion have not been completel achieved.
struck a devastating blow, a friendly state in Lebanon has not been created. Syria skillfully maintained its position by of the antipatronage Phalangist opposition. The predominantly Shi'ite south country completely under LU Y Israeli control.
For the Israelis and the United wlales State tun. damental problem remains the strength of the Syriandominated anti-Gemayel The only permanent solution is the expulsion of the 30,000 Syrian troops. The danger in the situation is that Israel's premier Shamir Reagan may decide to go - to launch an TOT DOKe all-out war the s ashu Syrians.
For the workers and peasants of Lebanon, and for the harassed Palestithe community, outlook 1S The organisations outside the control of Syria, of which the Communist Party and the Organisation of Communist Action the (Daries have been weakened by the exodus of many of their Shiite sup porters to Amal. The anti Israeli, anti-Gemayel forces remained dominated by bourgeois petty bourgeois nationalism, and in the steely embrace of Syrian 'support' The prospect remains war without end.
• Greek Vrinodo @ Armèniar Shii Jewis The confessional structure of Lebanon