188 entries on 174 dates · the books disagree on 41
dates 1–60 of 174 next
November 1969
Monday, 3 November 1969
The road to war · From the books
The Cairo Agreement is signed between the Lebanese army and the PLO.
Only Raymond Eddé and his bloc voted against the agreement, which deputies ratified without seeing its full, secret text. Concluded in Cairo through Egyptian mediation by Yasir Arafat and army commander General Emile Bustani, it affirmed Lebanese sovereignty but let guerrillas keep armed units in the camps and observation posts near the border and move to and from the Arqoub.
Sources differ: Three dates: 3 November (de Clerck & Malsagne, Traboulsi's chronology; Hanf's negotiation of 1-3 November ends that day), 8 November (Traboulsi's chapter 9) and 13 November (Picard). 3 November has the most, and mutually independent, support; Traboulsi contradicts himself.
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January 1970
Tuesday, 27 January 1970
The road to war · From the books
Annexes to the Cairo Agreement are concluded.
Dated 27 January 1970, the Cairo Agreement's annexes, in Picard's summary, let armed fedayeen travel to and from the southern fronts, chiefly the Arqoub, and put the camps outside Lebanese jurisdiction under Palestinian military police.
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November 1972
Friday, 3 November 1972
The road to war · From the books
Workers at the Ghandour factories begin an open-ended strike.
On 3 November 1972 an indefinite strike began at the Ghandour confectionery group, Lebanon's largest non-unionised industrial workforce. Workers wanted their factory committee recognised, the right to unionise, equal wages for women and higher pay.
Sources differ: Workforce: 1,200 in Shiyah (Traboulsi) or about 1,250 in Choueifat plus 350 in Chiyah (Tufaro).
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April 1973
Tuesday, 10 April 1973
The road to war · From the books
Israeli commandos kill three PLO leaders in rue Verdun, Beirut.
During the night of 9 to 10 April, Israeli commandos came ashore and drove into West Beirut in hired cars. Fatah's Abu Yusuf al-Najjar and Kamal Adwan and the poet Kamal Nasser, PLO spokesman, were killed at home, within about a hundred metres of a police barracks; commandos also landed at Sidon. By the time the army was alerted, the raiders had left.
Sources differ: Operation name: 'Verdun' (de Clerck & Malsagne chronology), 'Wrath of God' (de Clerck & Malsagne, p. 50) or 'Aviv Ne'urim' (Ménargues). Fisk adds that the wife of one leader was killed; de Clerck & Malsagne mention civilian collateral victims. Hanf alone mentions targets in Sidon.
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May 1973
Thursday, 3 May 1973
The road to war · From the books day (disputed)
The Lebanese air force bombs Palestinian camps in Beirut.
The Lebanese air force was used against the camps: Hanf writes that it bombed Burj al-Barajneh in response to rockets launched at the airport from inside the camp.
Sources differ: 3 May and Burj al-Barajneh (Traboulsi) against 2 May and the Sabra-Shatila area (de Clerck & Malsagne); Hanf gives Burj al-Barajneh without a day. They may be separate raids.
Other date in the books: Wednesday, 2 May 1973
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January 1975
Friday, 3 January 1975
The Lebanese war · 111101 entry in the original chronology
South Lebanon was bombarded
Israeli bombing made the inhabitants of South Lebanon go through dramatic moments. Six persons were killed, five were wounded, six villagers were kidnapped, and 13 houses were destroyed. The army and the Fedayin fought with the enemy. Twice, the Lebanese repelled incursion attempts.
What the books addJanuary 1975 saw heavy Israeli attacks on the South. Israeli forces razed Kfar Chouba, a border village, about a week after 7 January (Hanf), and Palestinian commandos shelled army positions in Tyre during border clashes with the Lebanese army (de Clerck and Malsagne). The figures for 3 January come from contemporary press reports.
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February 1975
Monday, 3 February 1975
The Lebanese war · 111101 entry in the original chronology
After a debate that lasted 15 days, the conclave chose unanimously a neutralist candidate. Mgr Antonios Khoreiche was the new Patriarch of Antioch and the Middle East.
What the books addAntoine Khuraych headed the Maronite Church from his election on 3 February 1975 (enthronement 9 February) until 1986, styling himself the 'patriarch of dialogue'.
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September 1975
Wednesday, 10 September 1975
The Lebanese war · 111101 entry in the original chronology
General Said, 52 years old, replaced General Ghanem at the head of the army.
What the books addHanf: Franjieh accepted Karami's condition for sending the army between Tripoli and Zgharta, Ghanem's removal; his replacement, Hanna Said, was a 'politically uncontentious' colonel.
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October 1975
Monday, 27 October 1975
The Lebanese war · 111101 entry in the original chronology
The Murr tower was occupied by the Mourabitun, and the Holliday Inn-Phoenicia region was held by the Phalange Party.
What the books addBegun in late October 1975 (20 October in de Clerck and Malsagne's chronology), the Battle of the Hotels ran for five months, ending when the Holiday Inn fell on 20-22 March 1976. Traboulsi links its launch to Black Saturday in December.
Other date in the books: Monday, 20 October 1975
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November 1975
Monday, 10 November 1975
The Lebanese war · 111101 entry in the original chronology
An emissary of Pope Paul VI arrived to Beirut holding a papal message
Cardinal Bertoli called all leaders to start working for the restoration of peace.
What the books addCardinal Paolo Bertoli's mission lasted from 9 to 14 November 1975 (de Clerck and Malsagne's chronology). Like the French envoy Couve de Murville, he backed a limited revision of the National Pact.
Other date in the books: Sunday, 9 November 1975
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March 1976
Saturday, 27 March 1976
The Lebanese war · Added from the books
Assad and Jumblatt break after a seven-hour meeting.
The lasting rupture between Kamal Jumblatt and President Assad came at a meeting of some seven hours in Damascus. Assad refused what Jumblatt sought, a decisive military defeat of the Lebanese Front and Frangieh's departure, saying the Constitutional Document already gave him most of it. The same day the Maronite leaders met the patriarch at Bkerké.
Sources differ: Ménargues reports a further long meeting in mid-May.
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April 1976
Saturday, 10 April 1976
The Lebanese war · Added from the books
Christian fighters clash among themselves in Zahleh.
Three fighters died when members of the Tajammu', Zahleh's Christian militia, fired on one another; the clash, during the manoeuvring before Syrian troops entered the town, split the group.
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May 1976
Thursday, 27 May 1976
The Lebanese war · 111101 entry in the original chronology
Linda Joumblatt, Kamal Joumblatt's 55 years old sister, was cowardly assassinated in her home in Beirut. A group of armed men broke into her apartment and opened fire on her. She was killed while her daughters Nouha, 28 years old, and Samar, 18 years old were injured.
What the books addOn 2 June Bashir Gemayel, having asked for a secret meeting with Kamal Jumblatt, offered him condolences and information on who had killed her. Traboulsi names her Linda al-Atrash and puts her apartment in East Beirut.
Other date in the books: Wednesday, 2 June 1976
The Lebanese war · Added from the books
The Lebanese Arab Army attacks Qubayat and Andaqit in Akkar.
Qubayat and Andaqit, Maronite villages in Akkar under siege and bombardment since January, were attacked by Lebanese Arab Army units. Syria cited the attack to justify intervening.
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June 1976
Sunday, 27 June 1976
The Lebanese war · 111101 entry in the original chronology
The Beirut International Airport was heavily bombed. An MEA Boeing 707 caught fire on the runway. The airplane's pilot died in the accident.
The Lebanese war · 111101 entry in the original chronology
The Phalange Party, the NLP, and the Guardians of the Cedar launched the 'Camps Battle'.
What the books addYara El Khoury dates the start of the final offensive on Jisr al-Basha and Tal al-Za'tar to 22 June 1976, and Hanf's account (Jisr al-Basha stormed eight days after the first assault, on 1 July) points to the same week. The camps had been blockaded since January. Hanf says Chamoun's Tigers and Christian units of the army led the attack, the Kataeb joining later; a joint command of Bashir Gemayel (Kataeb), Dany Chamoun and Nabil Karam (NLP), Fawzi Mahfouz (Tanzim) and Etienne Saqr (Guardians of the Cedar) coordinated it (de Clerck and Malsagne).
Other date in the books: Tuesday, 22 June 1976
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October 1976
Sunday, 3 October 1976
The Lebanese war · 111101 entry in the original chronology
The Lebanese leaders went to Paris for consultations. Kamal Joumblatt and Pierre Gemayel believed that France should help find a solution to the Lebanese crisis.
What the books addTalks in France with the government and Mitterrand's opposition left Jumblatt sure that France could do nothing in Lebanon against Syrian and US opposition (Traboulsi). His tour, by boat from encircled West Beirut to Cyprus, then Cairo, Algiers and Paris, sought Arab contingents to offset the Syrians.
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January 1977
Monday, 3 January 1977
The Lebanese war · 111101 entry in the original chronology
A violent explosion shook the district of Accoui in Achrafieh causing 26 dead and 70 injured.
Shattered glass fell all over the streets hitting several vehicles. The death toll rose to 50 by the next morning.
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March 1977
Thursday, 10 March 1977
The Lebanese war · 111101 entry in the original chronology
The cost of living had substantially increased in Lebanon. Meat, sugar, cheese, oil and chicken tripled since before 1975. Fares varied from a region to another due to the lack of control.
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Sunday, 27 March 1977
The Lebanese war · 111101 entry in the original chronology
The Arab League decided to renew the mandate of the Arab Strike Force for another six months.
What the books addThe force is usually called the Arab Deterrent Force (ADF) in English.
Other date in the books: Monday, 18 October 1976
The Lebanese war · 111101 entry in the original chronology
A powerful plastic charge, deposited in the elevator of the Minister of Defense, Fouad Boutros, exploded destroying the upper floor of the apartment.
What the books addThe bombing came the evening the government chose a new army commander, a change arranged by Boutros, who held foreign affairs and defence, and regarded by the Christian parties as cause for war.
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May 1977
August 1977
Wednesday, 3 August 1977
The Lebanese war · 111101 entry in the original chronology
The American Secretary of State, Cyrus Vans arrived to Beirut as part of a Middle East tour. He was welcomed in Baabda by President Sarkis. The meetings covered essentially the situation in the south and the American guarantees regarding an eventual Israeli military action in that region. Lebanese officials discussed with Vance the possibility of dispatching United Nations contingents to Southern Lebanon.
What the books addVance's airport motorcade skirted Sabra and Chatila after a Beirut visit, dated by Fisk to autumn 1977, to hear the government's views on the Palestinians' future.
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Saturday, 27 August 1977
The Lebanese war · 111101 entry in the original chronology
Although the collection of heavy arms was achieved, the Lebanese Front issued a press release, following the Ehden conference, emphasizing ' the necessity of spreading out Palestinians residing in Lebanon over the countries belonging to the Arab League.'
What the books addHanf records that Damascus rejected the Lebanese Front's demands of May 1977: annulment of the Cairo Agreement and dispersal among other Arab states of the 200,000 Palestinians its leaders regarded as illegal entrants.
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October 1977
Monday, 3 October 1977
The Lebanese war · 111101 entry in the original chronology
After having pointed out the unusual increase of the number of refugees on the Lebanese territory, Fouad Boutros, Minister of Foreign Affairs, declared to the United Nations: 'Lebanon pays for the mistakes committed by the others.'
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January 1978
February 1978
Monday, 27 February 1978
The Lebanese war · 111101 entry in the original chronology
Diverse shows were scheduled in Lebanon. 'We Belnesba la bokra chou?' by Ziad Rahbani was a triumph at the Orly Theater.
What the books addDe Clerck and Malsagne and Haugbolle list this 1978 play first among Ziad Rahbani's comedies, which satirised the war from West Beirut.
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March 1978
August 1978
Thursday, 10 August 1978
The Lebanese war · 111101 entry in the original chronology
While the bombardment of Acharafieh continued, the Arab Strike Force evacuated twelve positions in this district. Christian parties requested the evacuation of the Port and the Karantina and that Saudis and Sudanese soldiers replace the Syrian soldiers.
What the books addAvoiding the risk of hitting their own men, and leaving positions hard to hold, were the main aims of the Syrian pull-back in Hanf's reading: a tactical move.
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September 1978
Sunday, 10 September 1978
The Lebanese war · 111101 entry in the original chronology
Imam Moussa Sadr, a Shiite leader disappeared while visiting Libya. Libyans asserted that he left Tripoli for Rome. Sadr never arrived to Rome, and the Lebanese were worried.
What the books addMusa al-Sadr travelled to Libya on 25 August (de Clerck and Malsagne) at the invitation of the Libyan government (Ménargues) and was never seen again; Hanf dates the disappearance to September. Beirut papers speculated about the Shah's secret police or Libyan intelligence. Fisk writes that he was almost certainly killed in Libya. The loss mobilised the Shi'a and later strengthened Amal.
Other dates in the books: Friday, 25 August 1978, Wednesday, 13 September 1978
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October 1978
Tuesday, 3 October 1978
The Lebanese war · 111101 entry in the original chronology
France took the initiative of a cease-fire in Beirut and suggested the repositioning of the Arab Strike Force, as well as the interposition of a Lebanese Force between the belligerents.
Other date in the books: Monday, 16 October 1978
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April 1979
Tuesday, 10 April 1979
The Lebanese war · 111101 entry in the original chronology
Israel launched a double air strike against military targets in Tyr and Damour. 3 people dead and 15 injured were reported. President Hoss began an Arab tour trying to obtain the renewal of the mandate of the Arabic Strike Force.
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May 1979
June 1979
Wednesday, 27 June 1979
The Lebanese war · 111101 entry in the original chronology
Syrians and Israelis faced each other in the sky of Damour. Four Syrian Migs were shut down. At the Southern border, shelling continued between Progressive Palestinians on one side and the militia of Saad Haddad and Israel on the other.
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July 1979
October 1979
Saturday, 27 October 1979
The Lebanese war · 111101 entry in the original chronology
A car bomb exploded in basta, next to the office of the Army of Arabic Lebanon provoking 8 deaths and 32 injuries. The attack was followed by a strike in West Beirut.
Other date in the books: Sunday, 22 April 1979
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February 1980
Sunday, 3 February 1980
The Lebanese war · 111101 entry in the original chronology
Arab Strike Force units stationed in Beirut projected to withdraw towards Aley in the next few days. The decision surprised the government and the chief of State presided a meeting to study how to fill the gap.
What the books addHistorians describe the Syrian pull-back from Beirut in 1980 as a redeployment to the Bekaa and to mountain positions overlooking the capital, with a garrison kept in West Beirut (Hanf). The Lebanese army could not replace the departing Arab Deterrent Force everywhere (Picard).
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April 1980
Thursday, 10 April 1980
The Lebanese war · 111101 entry in the original chronology
Israelis settled in the UNIFL zone, but withdrew progressively in the following days. Beirut called upon the Security Council to convene urgently.
What the books addFisk: violating the UN's agreements with Israel, Haddad's militia set up positions inside the UNIFIL zone in spring 1980, beside At-Tiri, near Beit Yahoun and at ruined Rashaf, where it parked a Sherman tank reached by a road built with Israeli help.
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May 1980
Tuesday, 27 May 1980
The Lebanese war · 111101 entry in the original chronology
Violent confrontations burst between Shiite militiamen from Amal and a coalition including the Communist Party and the Resistance. The confrontations lasted three days, claiming a big number of victims. The Arab Strike Force mediated between the belligerent parties. A normalization and demilitarization agreement was signed in Damascus with the participation of the PLO.
What the books addDe Clerck and Malsagne list Amal's opponents once Nabih Berri led it, from 1980: the Communist Party, the Communist Action Organisation, the Iraqi Baath, Fatah and the Army of Arab Lebanon. Traboulsi notes frequent fighting between Amal and the Palestinian groups and National Movement up to June 1982.
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June 1980
Tuesday, 3 June 1980
The Lebanese war · 111101 entry in the original chronology
Violent combats were reported in Saida.
Soldiers from the Lebanese Army clashed with armed elements from the Resistance, acting under the name of officer Ahmed Khatib's Army of Arab Lebanon. The confrontation started by an ambush in Remeile against a military convoy. The town of Saida observed a strike in protest against these incidents.
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July 1980
Thursday, 10 July 1980
The Lebanese war · Added from the books
Walid Jumblatt condemns the attack on the National Liberals.
Three days after the 7 July assault that drove his friend Dany Chamoun into exile, Walid Jumblatt sharply denounced the Lebanese Forces' move against fellow Christians, ending the Christian–Druze contacts begun on 5 July.
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August 1980
Sunday, 10 August 1980
The Lebanese war · Added from the books
Bashir Gemayel predicts a 'war of liberation'.
Lunching with foreign journalists at Ain Saadeh, Bashir Gemayel predicted sooner or later a 'war of liberation' must be fought, which his listeners took to mean expelling the Palestinians. He would not condemn Israel, cited the murdered journalists Salim al-Lawzi and Riad Taha, and cast the crushing of the Tigers as ending an era when militia chiefs counted political weight in tanks.
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Wednesday, 27 August 1980
The Lebanese war · 111101 entry in the original chronology
The US ambassador, John Gunther Dean, escaped from a killing attempt in Hazmieh. Killers shot his armored car.
What the books addMénargues: the attack was claimed by telephone to Reuters by an unheard-of 'Front for the Liberation of Lebanon from Foreigners'. Investigators found the discarded tube of a US-made LAW anti-tank rocket, a type Israel says it passed to the Christian militias in 1976. Bashir Gemayel's own inquiry blamed the National Liberal (Ahrar) leader Elias Hannouche, whose aim was to discredit the Lebanese Forces.
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September 1980
Saturday, 27 September 1980
The Lebanese war · Added from the books
At Saydet el-Bir, Bashir Gemayel's circle decides to seek power.
Sixteen men, Lieutenant-Colonel Michel Aoun among them, met Bashir Gemayel at the Saydet el-Bir convent on 27 September 1980, where he decided to take power and its preparation began. That day L'Orient-Le Jour's front page said Selim Hoss, who had resigned as prime minister in March, had agreed to go on handling current affairs.
Sources differ: De Clerck and Malsagne depend on Ménargues for this meeting.
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October 1980
Monday, 27 October 1980
The Lebanese war · 111101 entry in the original chronology
The Phalange Party and the NLP fought in Ain el Remmaneh. Camille Chamoun threatened to withdraw from the Lebanese Front.
What the books addThe National Liberal holdouts in Ain el-Remmaneh were led by Elias Hannouche ('Hannache'). Hanf and de Clerck and Malsagne place the end of their autonomy in late October 1980 (de Clerck: Lebanese Forces in control of East Beirut on 31 October); Ménargues dates the decisive Lebanese Forces assault to the second half of November. There may have been two rounds.
Other dates in the books: Friday, 31 October 1980, Friday, 28 November 1980
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November 1980
Monday, 10 November 1980
The Lebanese war · 111101 entry in the original chronology
A double assault spread terror in Achrafieh.
Two car bombs stuffed with 140 kg of TNT exploded and killed 10 persons and injured 70 others. The first explosion occurred at a busy hour, when school busses were taking students back home, in one of Achrafieh’s streets. The second car blew up twenty minutes later, on Elias Baaklini street, next to the Shell gas station. The second explosion was aiming to kill those who would rush on the street after the first one went off.
What the books addMénargues counts 10 dead and 62 wounded from two car bombs in Achrafieh, Bashir Gemayel's power base.
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December 1980
Wednesday, 3 December 1980
The Lebanese war · 111101 entry in the original chronology
The government held its first meeting on October 25. Despite the opposition of the Amal movement, the four Shiite ministers attended the meeting.
The Lebanese war · 111101 entry in the original chronology
A murderous Israeli raid was perpetrated between Damour and Saadyat. A Lebanese memorandum presented to the UN reported 15 deaths and 13 injuries.
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January 1981
Saturday, 3 January 1981
The Lebanese war · 111101 entry in the original chronology
After its withdrawal from Ain El Remmaneh on October 31, 1980 the Army repositioned on the main road axes in the region.
What the books addDates differ. De Clerck and Malsagne's chronology has the Lebanese Forces controlling East Beirut from 31 October 1980. Ménargues puts the LF's 48-hour assault on Ain al-Remmaneh, held by Elias Hannouche's Chamounists, ten days after the 10 November car bombs, around 20 November 1980.
Other dates in the books: Friday, 31 October 1980, Thursday, 20 November 1980
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March 1981
April 1981
Monday, 27 April 1981
The Lebanese war · 111101 entry in the original chronology
Residential areas in Beirut were the target of sporadic bombardments that killed six persons and injured 90 others.
The Lebanese war · Added from the books
First direct talks between Damascus and Bashir Gemayel.
Mohammad al-Khouli, a trusted envoy of President Asad and head of Syrian air force intelligence, met Bashir Gemayel at Baabda through Sarkis. Neither would yield; they met again on 30 April and 4 May.
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July 1981
Friday, 10 July 1981
The Lebanese war · 111101 entry in the original chronology
In retaliation to an air raid launched by Israel in Southern Lebanon, the Palestinians bombarded Kyriat Shmona injuring 14 Israelis.
What the books addMénargues counts 6 dead and 20 wounded in the two raids, on Democratic Front sites at Habbouch (near Nabatiyeh) and Ghaziyeh (near Sidon). Hanf dates the Israel–PLO 'Fourteen Day War' from them.
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September 1981
Thursday, 3 September 1981
The Lebanese war · 111101 entry in the original chronology
A first encounter between Syrian officials and members of the Phalange Party in Baabda under the aegis of the Arab Committee resulted in the reopening of the roads.
What the books addIn Ménargues's account the Saudi and Kuwaiti foreign ministers proposed Syria–Lebanese Forces talks after seeing Khaddam in Beirut on 3 September. Next day at Baabda, Bashir Gemayel accepted the opening of crossing points. The Vigilance Committee's evening statement reserved arms imports to legal forces and set up a body to police the coast and ports; Bashir and the Lebanese Front rejected it.
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November 1981
December 1981
January 1982
February 1982
Saturday, 27 February 1982
The Lebanese war · 111101 entry in the original chronology
The explosion of a car bomb killed 4 persons and wounded 26 others in Ouzaï.
What the books addDe Clerck and Malsagne, drawing on Ronen Bergman, attribute to Ariel Sharon a series of car bombings from October 1981, carried out under the name 'Front for the Liberation of Lebanon from Foreigners' and aimed chiefly at Palestinians, to provoke retaliation that could justify an invasion. They list no individual attacks, so this bombing cannot be matched to their account.
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March 1982
Wednesday, 10 March 1982
The Lebanese war · 111101 entry in the original chronology
In his new mission to prevent the outbreak of war on the Lebanese-Israeli borderline, Habib gave insurances but no guarantees. At the same time, two car bombs exploded in Zouk and Maameltein.
What the books addDe Clerck and Malsagne, drawing on Ronen Bergman, attribute to Ariel Sharon a series of car bombings from October 1981, carried out under the name 'Front for the Liberation of Lebanon from Foreigners' and aimed chiefly at Palestinians, to provoke retaliation that could justify an invasion. They list no individual attacks, so this bombing cannot be matched to their account.
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April 1982
dates 1–60 of 174 next
