109 entries on 101 dates · the books disagree on 23
dates 1–60 of 101 next
December 1968
Saturday, 28 December 1968
The road to war · From the books
Israeli commandos destroy Lebanon's civil airliners at Beirut airport.
In retaliation for a Palestinian attack on an El Al airliner at Athens, Israeli commandos landed by helicopter at Beirut International Airport and destroyed thirteen or fourteen Lebanese passenger planes on the ground, most of them belonging to Middle East Airlines. The army failed to respond. Abroad the raid was widely condemned; at home it fed anger at the state and sympathy for the Palestinians.
Sources differ: Number of aircraft: 13 (Traboulsi, Hanf, Picard, Fisk) or 14 belonging to three Lebanese companies, 8 of them MEA (de Clerck & Malsagne). Traboulsi and Hanf speak of MEA planes only; Fisk and de Clerck & Malsagne of MEA and other companies. Picard says the Israeli air force blew up the planes; Hanf, Fisk and de Clerck & Malsagne describe a heliborne or landed commando. Picard places the Athens attack 'two months earlier'; Hanf and de Clerck & Malsagne date it 26 December 1968. Traboulsi and Hanf call it a hijacking, de Clerck & Malsagne and Fisk an attack.
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August 1973
Tuesday, 28 August 1973
The road to war · From the books
The labour confederation holds a general strike.
The government met the CGTL general strike with a decreed 5 per cent rise, higher minimum wage and family allowances, and curbs on sacking unionists. Strikers also wanted commercial profits capped and cooperatives aided: for Traboulsi, the unions' first challenge to the commercial oligarchy.
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May 1975
Wednesday, 28 May 1975
The Lebanese war · Added from the books
Rashid Karami is named Prime Minister.
On 28 May, after the military cabinet fell, Frangieh named Rashid Karami Prime Minister. Forming a government took him a month, since most Christian politicians would not sit without the Kataeb and Jumblatt vetoed the party.
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June 1975
Saturday, 28 June 1975
The Lebanese war · Added from the books
Musa al-Sadr begins a hunger strike against the fighting.
Protesting at the fighting in Chiyah, Imam Musa al-Sadr went on hunger strike, pledging to fast until the violence stopped. Christian and Sunni clergy and Palestinians backed him. Traboulsi says he fasted at the Amiliya school until a national unity government was formed.
Sources differ: Traboulsi's wording places the strike about a month before 6 June; de Clerck and Malsagne and Hanf place it in late June, which fits the formation of the Karami cabinet at the end of June.
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August 1975
Friday, 29 August 1975
The Lebanese war · 111101 entry in the original chronology
After mortar and rocket exchanges in the streets of Zahleh made several victims, a partial curfew was imposed on the town.
What the books addDe Clerck and Malsagne and Tegho Bou Nassif date Zahleh's entry into the war to 24 August 1975, when Palestinian fighters planted a bomb in its tourist district, Wadi al-Arayish. In Hanf's account, Zahleh's Christians and Shi'is of its outskirts and nearby villages, helped by Palestinian guerrillas, came to blows late in August after a non-political arcade quarrel. Three Zahleh men were executed at the end of August.
Other date in the books: Sunday, 24 August 1975
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April 1976
Wednesday, 28 April 1976
The Lebanese war · Added from the books
Rabin gives a written green light to a Syrian intervention.
Rabin approved a Syrian intervention in Lebanon in a written message that Israel's ambassador, Gideon Rafael, gave King Hussein in London; Hussein had relayed Syria's assurances to Rafael on 11 April.
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May 1976
Saturday, 29 May 1976
The Lebanese war · Added from the books
Akkar's deputy asks Assad to intervene.
Assad received two same-day appeals to intervene and stop the bloodshed at Qubayat and Andaqit: a telephone call from Mikhael Daher, the area's Christian deputy, and a message from a 'gathering of the inhabitants of Kobeyat'.
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June 1976
Tuesday, 29 June 1976
The Lebanese war · Added from the books
The Jisr al-Basha camp falls.
The small Palestinian camp of Jisr al-Basha, overlooking Tal al-Za'tar in East Beirut, fell to the Christian militias and army units, and was razed.
Sources differ: Hanf gives 1 July; Picard August; Yara El Khoury places its fall with Tal al-Za'tar on 12 August.
Other date in the books: Thursday, 1 July 1976
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July 1976
Thursday, 29 July 1976
The Lebanese war · Added from the books
Arafat and Assad announce a new cease-fire.
Wary of the PLO-Syria cease-fire reached through Libyan mediation, the Lebanese Front pressed harder on the Palestinian positions left in East Beirut. Its terms also covered recognition of Syria's role, the Cairo Agreement and 'non-interference' in Lebanese affairs.
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September 1976
Tuesday, 28 September 1976
The Lebanese war · 111101 entry in the original chronology
The Syrian forces and the Lebanese Forces launched an attack against the positions of the Palestinian Progressive forces in the mountain. This far-reaching attack aimed at dislodging the Common Forces from the crests they occupied in Sannine, Zaarour, Aintoura and Mtein. This assault was accompanied by an intensive bombing of Aley, the main Palestinian Progressive base in the mountain.
What the books addFrom Sarkis's inauguration on 23 September Hanf counts three quiet days, the Semiramis Hotel attack in Damascus and a Syrian move two days after it, placing this offensive at about 28 September. The Palestinian and leftist forces lost the Upper Metn; Traboulsi notes that the Joint Forces' largest concentration, there under Abu Khalid al-Amleh, never engaged the advancing Syrians.
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October 1976
Thursday, 28 October 1976
The Lebanese war · Added from the books
Fourteen Christians are killed at Ma'asir Beiteddine in the Chouf.
Gunmen with automatic weapons executed 14 Christians, eight from one family, at Ma'asir Beiteddine in the Chouf. The PSP often justified such killings as 'purification' of 'isolationists'.
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February 1977
Monday, 28 February 1977
The Lebanese war · 111101 entry in the original chronology
A master plan for the souks of the old Beirut was submitted to the Council of Ministers. This project included the creation of a green front, an opening to the sea from the Saint George to Bahri, the construction of a port district around the first basin, the opening of avenues towards the sea, and the reconstruction of the souks.
What the books addAPUR, the Atelier parisien d'urbanisme, drew up this 1977 plan, the earliest of three reconstruction studies made during the war.
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March 1977
Monday, 28 March 1977
The Lebanese war · 111101 entry in the original chronology
The Council of Ministers appointed Colonel Victor Khoury at the head of the army replacing General Hanna Said.
What the books addMuslim leaders accused Hanna Saïd, commander since September 1975, of leniency towards the Lebanese Front (Traboulsi: of closeness to the dissident troops in the south). His replacement, Victor Khoury, a Constitutional Bloc sympathiser committed to Christian-Muslim coexistence, ran the army and its rebuilding from March 1977 to December 1982.
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April 1977
Friday, 29 April 1977
The Lebanese war · 111101 entry in the original chronology
A meeting between the Syrians, the Lebanese, and the Palestinians was held in Baabda.
President Elias Sarkis met with the chairman of the PLO, Yasser Arafat. The meeting dealt mainly with the evacuation of Damour by the Palestinians and the execution of the Cairo agreement.
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August 1977
September 1977
January 1978
March 1978
April 1978
June 1978
Wednesday, 28 June 1978
The Lebanese war · 111101 entry in the original chronology
A massacre of a unique atrocity was perpetrated in the North of the Bekaa region.
Forty persons from the Christian town of Kaa and its surroundings were kidnapped from their homes at night. 26 were executed at dawn, and their bodies were left in a mass grave. The Lebanese population and especially the Greek Catholic community, to which the victims belonged, were terrorized and distressed.
What the books addThe Qaa massacre is dated to the night of 27-28 June (de Clerck and Malsagne) or to 29 June (Hanf); Ras Baalbek and Jdeidet al-Fakiha were also raided. De Clerck and Malsagne blame Syrians in civilian clothes, carrying name lists and guided by local Christian members of the SSNP and the Communist Party, and see the killings as revenge for Ehden. Hanf counts 26 dead, de Clerck and Malsagne 32 to 36. The community's Supreme Council asked that a day of national mourning be held.
Other dates in the books: Tuesday, 27 June 1978, Thursday, 29 June 1978
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July 1978
August 1978
September 1978
Thursday, 28 September 1978
The Lebanese war · 111101 entry in the original chronology
It is the famous ' Black Thursday ' where hundreds of shells hit Achrafieh in a murderous frenzy that did not spare anyone. The Arab Strike Force and the Lebanese Front accused each other of being responsible of this nightmare, while women, children and elderly persons were dying.
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November 1978
Wednesday, 29 November 1978
The Lebanese war · 111101 entry in the original chronology
The President concluded his visit to Paris with disappointment. France took a moderate position while thousands of Lebanese who fled to Paris exhorted the French government to react. However, politics has its own reasons.
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February 1979
Wednesday, 28 February 1979
The Lebanese war · 111101 entry in the original chronology
Saudi troops decided to withdraw from the Arabic Strike Force. The Lebanese tried to dissuade them.
What the books addThe Saudis announced their departure in March 1979 (Ménargues). Picard has Syria's partners, among them Saudis, Sudanese and Emiratis, leaving two years after the 1976 summits; de Clerck and Malsagne call the ADF wholly Syrian from 1979.
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May 1979
June 1979
October 1979
Sunday, 28 October 1979
The Lebanese war · 111101 entry in the original chronology
Israel stiffened its position.
While Hoss discussed with Abou Ayad a Lebanese Palestinian understanding platform, Israel laid two conditions for peace: the withdrawal of Syrian forces from Lebanon and the end of Palestinian raids, according to what Menahem Begin affirmed to the American delegate, Philip Habib in Jerusalem.
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May 1980
November 1980
Friday, 28 November 1980
The Lebanese war · Added from the books
Secret Christian–Druze talks begin.
Late that afternoon the talks met at Johnny Abdo's home, while Lebanese Forces units were taking Elias Hannouche's last stronghold in Ain el-Remmaneh. Joseph Abou Khalil, Zahi Boustani and Antoine Najm spoke for the LF and Samir Frangieh for Walid Jumblatt; no Druze attended. On Frangieh's proposal they would first prepare a paper for a Gemayel–Jumblatt meeting covering Lebanon's ties with the Arab world and Israel and the legal form of a new regime.
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January 1981
Wednesday, 28 January 1981
The Lebanese war · 111101 entry in the original chronology
President Elias Sarkis delivered a speech at the Third Islamic States Summit in Taef, where he headed the Lebanese delegation. He declared: 'Lebanon cannot bear anymore the Palestinian armed presence on its land'.
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Thursday, 29 January 1981
The Lebanese war · 111101 entry in the original chronology
The Israeli aviation bombarded Saida and Nabatyeh for two days. An artillery duel opposed the 'Common Forces' to the militiamen of Saad Haddad. These Israeli bombardments killed 14 and injured 30 others.
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March 1981
April 1981
Tuesday, 28 April 1981
The Lebanese war · 111101 entry in the original chronology
While the Syrian Foreign Affairs Minister, Abdel Halim Khaddam met with President Chamoun, Pierre Gemayel and members of the Islamic Union at the Baabda palace, Israeli airplanes bombed new positions occupied by the Syrian Army on Mount Sannine's peak. The Israeli forces shot down two Syrian helicopters.
What the books addMénargues has two Syrian helicopters downed: a Mi-8 supply craft, hit by F-15s around noon just after leaving Rayak, and a French-built Alouette late in the day; in between, jets struck ADF positions around Sannine. Israel acted at Christian leaders' request once Syria held Sannine's summit; next day Syria answered with surface-to-air missiles in the Bekaa.
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Wednesday, 29 April 1981
The Lebanese war · Added from the books
Syria deploys SAM missiles in the Bekaa: the 'missile crisis'.
A day after Israel downed two Syrian helicopters, Syria set up SAM-6 and SAM-2 batteries openly in the Bekaa, near Rayak and Chtaura. Israel demanded their removal; de Clerck and Malsagne see the deployment as the first direct Syrian-Israeli confrontation.
Sources differ: Traboulsi names the missiles as Sam 3, the other sources as SAM-6 and SAM-2. Traboulsi's own chronology (p. 252) places the battle of Zahleh and the missile crisis in March 1980, contradicting his main text.
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May 1981
Thursday, 28 May 1981
The Lebanese war · 111101 entry in the original chronology
Following the departure of the American envoy, the Israeli aviation bombarded Palestinian bases in Damour causing hundred of dead or injured victims.
The Lebanese war · Added from the books
Saudi Arabia revives its mediation; its ambassador returns to Beirut.
Bashir Gemayel, who wanted solid Arab guarantees before moving away from Israel, received the Saudi ambassador, General Ali al-Shaer, back in Beirut after the Arab Vigilance Committee (Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Syria, Arab League) was revived at American urging.
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July 1981
September 1981
January 1982
April 1982
Wednesday, 28 April 1982
The Lebanese war · 111101 entry in the original chronology
A general strike was observed by both sectors of Beirut, to protest against the assassination, on April 26, of Sheikh Ahmad Assaf, president of the Union of Islamic Associations and Institutions.
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June 1982
Monday, 28 June 1982
The Lebanese war · 111101 entry in the original chronology
The PLO accepted the idea of leaving Beirut to save the city, with, in return, an Israeli withdrawal from the surroundings of the capital.
What the books addFisk dates the PLO's statement that it would leave Beirut, made public by Saeb Salam, to 30 June; Hanf puts its agreement in principle only at the end of July. On 27 June an Israeli cabinet statement had first floated a negotiated exit: the Lebanese army would take over West Beirut and the disarmed fighters would leave by road for Syria (Ménargues).
Other dates in the books: Sunday, 27 June 1982, Wednesday, 30 June 1982
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July 1982
Thursday, 29 July 1982
The Lebanese war · 111101 entry in the original chronology
The PLO pledged to withdraw its troops from Beirut.
The Lebanese war · Added from the books
Israeli phosphorus shells hit the Bourj al-Barajneh camp.
At the Barbir hospital Dr Amal Shamaa logged 19 phosphorus burn cases from 6 June to 29 July, all civilians but one guerrilla. They included a woman and eleven relatives, still alight on arrival after a shell hit the family's two-storey shack in the camp.
Other date in the books: Sunday, 6 June 1982
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August 1982
Sunday, 29 August 1982
The Lebanese war · 111101 entry in the original chronology
The Lebanese Army deployed in the central district in Beirut while the soldiers of the Arab Strike Force still positioned in Beirut, were being evacuated.
Other dates in the books: Saturday, 21 August 1982, Monday, 30 August 1982
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September 1982
December 1982
January 1983
April 1983
Thursday, 28 April 1983
The Lebanese war · 111101 entry in the original chronology
As part of his trip to the Middle East, the Secretary of State, George Shultz made a quick stop in Lebanon. He visited the ruins of the American embassy and met with Lebanese officials.
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June 1983
August 1983
Sunday, 28 August 1983
The Lebanese war · 111101 entry in the original chronology
Beirut witnessed four days of madness and bombardments during which the Army lost control of the situation in a matter of one day, in favor of the militiamen.
What the books addTwo US Marines were killed and 14 wounded on 29 August, as Amal, Murabitun and PSP fighters, having seized the south-western suburbs, stormed West Beirut and Syrian-held batteries shelled the east. Using tanks, the army had regained the city centre by 31 August, though not the suburbs.
Other dates in the books: Monday, 29 August 1983, Wednesday, 31 August 1983
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Monday, 29 August 1983
The Lebanese war · Added from the books
Two US Marines are killed near Beirut airport.
Fourteen Marines were wounded and two killed. Near-daily shelling of their positions over the following weeks drove them to fire back.
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September 1983
Wednesday, 28 September 1983
The Lebanese war · Added from the books
Shi'i militiamen drive the Christians out of Mreijeh.
With the army leaving West Beirut positions, Shi'i militiamen expelled Mreijeh's Christians, the last non-Shi'i community in that part of the city.
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December 1983
January 1984
Sunday, 29 January 1984
The Lebanese war · Added from the books
The Druze attack the army at Souk al-Gharb in a new offensive.
The army had held Souk al-Gharb since September 1983, keeping the Druze from Baabda and East Beirut; now they opened a fresh offensive on it.
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February 1984
Wednesday, 29 February 1984
The Lebanese war · 111101 entry in the original chronology
President Amine Gemayel visited Damascus. The observers expected a normalization soon after. Indeed, the Syrian President approved the opening of new round Israeli-Lebanese negotiations.
What the books addMénargues gives two different days for this visit: 24 February in his prologue and 26 February in another passage. Hanf and Fisk both give 29 February. Fisk notes a 21-gun salute; Hanf says Gemayel told Assad he was ready to abrogate the 17 May agreement.
Other dates in the books: Friday, 24 February 1984, Sunday, 26 February 1984
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March 1984
Wednesday, 28 March 1984
The Lebanese war · 111101 entry in the original chronology
While a deluge of fire fell on residential areas killing 26 persons and wounding 148 others, 40 French observers arrived in Beirut to supervise the cease-fire. The high political and military committee created during the Lausanne conference held its first meeting in Baabda.
The Lebanese war · Added from the books
A raid on Jibchit by Israel's militia kills Khadija Atwi.
Khadija Abbas Atwi, 18, bled to death in Jibchit; her gravestone gives 28 March 1984. Militiamen sent in by Israeli troops to hunt 'terrorists' shot her and other villagers, women among them.
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May 1984
July 1984
dates 1–60 of 101 next
