42 entries on 40 dates · the books disagree on 42
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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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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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
Tuesday, 7 January 1975
The Lebanese war · Added from the books
Presidents Assad and Frangieh meet at Chtaura.
At Chtaura, President Suleiman Frangieh received Syria's president, Hafez al-Assad, who pledged to defend Lebanon against Israeli attack. Hanf, quoting Goria, judges that Lebanon thereby lost what neutrality had gained it.
Sources differ: Ménargues gives 17 January 1975. Traboulsi's narrative chapter dates the summit to 7 January 1974, while his own chronology gives 7 January 1975. Two sources agree on 7 January 1975.
Other dates in the books: Monday, 7 January 1974, Friday, 17 January 1975
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March 1975
Friday, 7 March 1975
The Lebanese war · 111101 entry in the original chronology
Major events were reported in the town of Saida.
The army clashed with demonstrators protesting in favor of fishermen. Maarouf Saad, former legislator, was hit by a bullet and died from his wounds. Saida was in fire and blood. Many dead and wounded persons were reported, on the civilian as well as on the military sides. Businesses and schools shut down. Many leaders accused the Prime Minister, Rachid El Solh, of being responsible for the recent events in Saida. Nevertheless, demonstrations supporting the army were organized in Beirut.
What the books addDe Clerck and Malsagne and Traboulsi date the Sidon fishermen's protest to 26 February 1975. The marchers opposed Protein, a fishing company whose board included Camille Chamoun; their leader, Maarouf Saad, was shot and died some days later. Clashes between the army and armed groups in Sidon and Tyre followed at the start of March: de Clerck and Malsagne give 6 soldiers and 11 civilians killed and an army pull-out from Tyre, Hanf 5 soldiers and 11 civilians. The Kataeb staged a pro-army demonstration in Beirut. Hanf puts the fishermen's protest in March, and Picard describes the Sidon marchers as Palestinian militants.
Other date in the books: Wednesday, 26 February 1975
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January 1976
Wednesday, 7 January 1976
The Lebanese war · 111101 entry in the original chronology
The Palestinian camps of Tell El Zaatar and Jisr El Bacha being under a blockade, 1200 armed elements attacked the region of Horsh Tabet. Pitched battles opposed Phalangist and Fedayin activists.
What the books addDe Clerck and Malsagne date the siege of Tal al-Za'tar from 4 January 1976 to the camp's fall on 12 August. According to Hanf, Interior Minister Camille Chamoun had Internal Security Forces units join the assault.
Other date in the books: Sunday, 4 January 1976
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February 1976
Saturday, 7 February 1976
The Lebanese war · Added from the books
President Frangieh and Prime Minister Karami go to Damascus.
Sleiman Frangieh and Rashid Karami travelled to Damascus, where, with President Assad, they agreed on the text of a 'Constitutional Document' to reform the distribution of power.
Sources differ: Traboulsi's chronology gives 7 February as the day Frangieh declared the Document.
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June 1976
Monday, 7 June 1976
The Lebanese war · 111101 entry in the original chronology
Violent combats opposed pro-Syrian formations to Palestinian Progressive militiamen in several districts of Beirut. Syrian troops entered the capital where most Palestinian Progressive forces were concentrated.
What the books addIn Beirut in early June, Hanf writes, Fatah and its allies turned on Saiqa, the PLA and the pro-Syrian parties and cleared them from the city within a few hours. Syria's regular army stayed outside the capital for now: on 7 June its troops got as far as Sofar on the Beirut-Damascus road and into Sidon, where an armoured column was wiped out. Syrian forces reached Beirut only in mid-November, within the Arab Deterrent Force.
Other date in the books: Sunday, 14 November 1976
The Lebanese war · Added from the books
Syrian troops reach Sofar and Sidon; a Syrian armoured column is destroyed in Sidon.
Palestinian fighters and Lebanese Arab Army soldiers wrecked the Syrian armour sent into the centre of Sidon and forced it back, once Syrian columns had reached Sofar, on the Beirut-Damascus road, and the city's edge. Long Syrian shelling of the camps followed.
Sources differ: De Clerck and Malsagne place the 7 June fighting at Bhamdoun; Hanf at Sofar.
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February 1978
Tuesday, 7 February 1978
The Lebanese war · 111101 entry in the original chronology
A serious incident occurred in Fayadieh.
Lebanese Soldiers fought with elements of the Arab Strike Force. Shots were exchanged followed by heavy armaments shootings.
What the books addHistorians date the Fayadiyeh incident to 7 February (de Clerck and Malsagne), 8 February (Hanf) or 17 February (Ménargues). It began when Syrian soldiers set up a roadblock in front of the Military Academy; officer cadets, led according to de Clerck and Malsagne by Captain Samir (Sami) al-Achkar, fought back and Syrian artillery shelled the barracks. Syrian losses are given as 13 dead and 36 wounded (de Clerck and Malsagne), over 30 dead (Ménargues) or 220 dead and 30 wounded (Hanf). As fighting spread into East Beirut, about a hundred people died when Syrian guns shelled Badaro, Ain el-Remmaneh and Karm el-Zeitoun. Sarkis and Damascus settled the affair with a joint Lebanese-Syrian military court. De Clerck and Malsagne date the Syria-Christian split to it.
Other dates in the books: Wednesday, 8 February 1978, Friday, 17 February 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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Saturday, 7 October 1978
The Lebanese war · Added from the books
The Syrian shelling of East Beirut stops; Sarkis asks for the ADF mandate to be extended.
Syria stopped shelling East Beirut on 7 October, one day after the UN Security Council demanded a ceasefire. Also on 7 October, President Sarkis publicly asked for the Arab Deterrent Force's mandate to be extended beyond its expiry on 28 October. Syria kept its blockade in place until the Arab League had renewed the mandate.
Sources differ: Original entry 219 puts the Security Council's ceasefire call on 4 October; entry 220 has residents leaving the shelters on 8 October.
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July 1980
Monday, 7 July 1980
The Lebanese war · Added from the books
Bashir Gemayel's forces crush Chamoun's Tigers; the Christian militias are unified as the Lebanese Forces.
Bashir Gemayel's forces struck at dawn at the offices and barracks of the National Liberal Party's Tigers militia across the Christian region, including the Safra Marine resort north of Jounieh, where Dany Chamoun narrowly escaped. By evening Bashir had called Phalange and National Liberal leaders to the church of Saint Anthony in Sodeco; with Camille Chamoun chairing, he proposed folding the militias into a Lebanese Forces he would lead. Estimates of the dead run from about 70 to several hundred, many of them civilians.
Sources differ: Stored entry 375 dates the assault to 8 July. Death tolls: about 70 dead and 100 wounded (Ménargues); about 100 Tigers (Hanf); about 150 including 83 Tigers (de Clerck and Malsagne); 150 to 200, mostly civilians (Traboulsi); several hundred civilians (Fisk).
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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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April 1981
Sunday, 5 April 1981
The Lebanese war · Added from the books
Israel says it will not stand by over Zahleh; the US Secretary of State is in Jerusalem.
Haig reached Jerusalem on his first official visit as Secretary of State and discussed Lebanon at length with Begin. Hours earlier, leaving a cabinet meeting almost wholly on Lebanon, Foreign Minister Yitzhak Shamir had said Israel could not stay passive.
Sources differ: Hanf attributes the 'will not stand by' statement to Begin; Ménargues to Shamir.
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June 1982
Thursday, 3 June 1982
The Lebanese war · Added from the books
The Israeli ambassador in London, Shlomo Argov, is shot and gravely wounded.
Abu Nidal's dissident group, hostile to the PLO leadership, carried out the shooting, which Arafat condemned. Israel used it as the pretext for bombing Beirut the next day and for the invasion. De Clerck and Malsagne cite Ronen Bergman, who attributes the London attack to the Mossad.
Sources differ: Bergman's attribution to the Mossad, reported by de Clerck and Malsagne, is not shared by the other books.
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July 1982
Saturday, 3 July 1982
The Lebanese war · 111101 entry in the original chronology
While waiting for the PLO's response to the Israeli conditions, West Beirut was under a tight blockade.
Other date in the books: Friday, 2 July 1982
The Lebanese war · Added from the books
More than 100,000 Israelis demonstrate in Tel Aviv against the war.
The demonstration, which called for negotiations with the Palestinians, was organised by a 'Committee against the war in Lebanon' set up at the end of June. Before that, also at the end of June, thousands had demonstrated outside Begin's home while the cabinet met.
Sources differ: Ménargues dates the protest outside Begin's home to 'Sunday 28 June'; 28 June 1982 was a Monday.
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August 1982
Saturday, 7 August 1982
The Lebanese war · Added from the books
The PLO approves the final version of the Habib plan for its evacuation.
On 6 August Habib told Sharon a 'package deal' could be wrapped up in 48 hours: the French would go ashore the morning the Palestinians began leaving, the other contingents after. The PLO accepted on 7 August; Israel on 16 August (Menargues) or 19 August (de Clerck and Malsagne).
Sources differ: Israel's approval: 16 August (Ménargues, extraordinary cabinet) or 19 August (de Clerck and Malsagne).
Other date in the books: Friday, 6 August 1982
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September 1982
Tuesday, 7 September 1982
The Lebanese war · 111101 entry in the original chronology
According to a United Nations report, between the 6th of June 1982 and the 15th of August 1982, 6,775 persons had been killed and 30,000 others wounded. Over 80% of these victims were civilians form West Beirut. According to the same source, 2,094 seriously injured persons had been burned by phosphor bombs.
What the books addFigures differ by source and cut-off date. De Clerck and Malsagne cite a Lebanese police report of November 1982 covering 4 June to 21 August: 19,085 dead, 6,775 of them in Beirut and 84% of them civilians, and 30,302 wounded. Ménargues, citing police reports, gives 17,825 dead and 30,103 wounded from 4 June; Fisk gives almost 17,825 dead from 4 June to the end of September. Picard cites UNICEF: 29,506 dead and wounded between 4 June and 15 August, 80% of them civilians in Beirut and its suburbs. The 6,775 dead in the original therefore appear to be Beirut's share only.
Other date in the books: Friday, 4 June 1982
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February 1983
Monday, 7 February 1983
The Lebanese war · Added from the books
Israel's Kahan Commission publishes its report on Sabra and Chatila.
Israel's inquiry into the September 1982 massacre blamed the Phalangists above all, finding its own political and military leaders indirectly responsible; Ariel Sharon lost the Defence Ministry.
Sources differ: Fisk quotes the finding as Sharon's 'personal responsibility'; Traboulsi and de Clerck and Malsagne call it indirect responsibility. Fisk also criticises the report for treating the massacre as 'events'.
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March 1983
Monday, 7 March 1983
The Lebanese war · 111101 entry in the original chronology
The State regained control over the fifth basin of the port.
What the books addDe Clerck and Malsagne date the Lebanese Forces' return of the fifth basin to the state to 1 March 1983. Until then its customs receipts, put at 5 million dollars a month, supplied 20% of the militia's revenue. The army held it until 1985, when Samir Geagea took it back.
Other date in the books: Tuesday, 1 March 1983
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February 1984
Tuesday, 7 February 1984
The Lebanese war · Added from the books
Beirut is divided again; Washington announces the Marines' 'redeployment' to the ships.
Beirut was split along the Green Line again on 7 February as the last regular troops in West Beirut, mostly Christians, pulled back east; Hanf notes that the Lebanese had never before divided their capital themselves. Washington said that day the Marines would 'redeploy' to ships offshore.
Sources differ: Hanf treats 7 February as the date of the army's collapse; de Clerck and Malsagne and the original (733) use 6 February.
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September 1985
Saturday, 7 September 1985
The Lebanese war · Added from the books
Syrian troops enter Zahleh.
After the withdrawal of the Lebanese Forces, Syrian troops entered Zahleh to restore order.
Other date in the books: Sunday, 11 August 1985
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April 1987
Sunday, 5 April 1987
The Lebanese war · 111101 entry in the original chronology
An agreement was concluded between the National Palestinian Salvation Front and the Amal movement under the aegis of Ghazi Kanaan. This agreement stipulated a global cease-fire and the end of the camps' blockade in Beirut
What the books addUnder the 5 April accord, reached by Amal, the PLO and the pro-Syrian Palestinian National Salvation Front with the Syrian general Ghazi Kanaan present, the blockade was to be lifted, the wounded taken out and the PLO was to leave three villages near Sidon. Food and medicine then reached Chatila and Bourj al-Barajneh, the first since March. Picard dates the end of the siege to an Amal-Palestinian agreement of 11 September 1987; Hanf has Amal lifting the blockade only on 18 January 1988.
Other dates in the books: Friday, 11 September 1987, Monday, 18 January 1988
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June 1987
Friday, 5 June 1987
The Lebanese war · Added from the books
A general strike paralyses the country for five days.
A general strike, part of the CGTL's drive for peace and an economic rescue plan, shut the country down for close to five days.
Sources differ: Hanf lists CGTL political strikes in 1987 for April, July, August, September and November, but none in June. The strike began four days after Karami's assassination, on the day Husseini resigned (original entry 1003).
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April 1988
Tuesday, 5 April 1988
The Lebanese war · Added from the books
The Amal-Hezbollah war begins in the south.
Amal launched an offensive to disarm Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. Brief fighting, notably at Nabatiyeh and Ghaziyeh, went Amal's way, and armed Hezbollah fighters vanished from view there. A three-phase 'war of brothers' had begun, lasting until November 1990.
Sources differ: Existing entry 1068 dates the fall of Nabatiyeh to Amal to 6 April. Picard's chronology gives 28 November 1988 for the beginning of Amal-Hezbollah clashes. The Confluences article is by the same authors as de Clerck's book.
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March 1989
Friday, 3 March 1989
The Lebanese war · Added from the books
General Aoun orders a naval blockade of the militia ports of Khalde, Jiyeh and Ouzai.
Aoun had the navy and helicopter units close Khalde, Jiyeh and Ouzai, ports the PSP and Amal had kept, though Syria had officially warned him off militias beyond his own area. Frangieh's Marada had given Selaata port to the army.
Sources differ: De Clerck and Malsagne date the closure order to 6 March (see entry 1129).
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May 1989
Wednesday, 3 May 1989
The Lebanese war · 111101 entry in the original chronology
Lakhdar Ibrahimi, General Secretary of the Arab League, arrives in Beirut looking to find a diplomatic solution to the crisis.
What the books addLakhdar Brahimi was Deputy (assistant) Secretary-General of the Arab League, not its Secretary-General. After the Casablanca summit he headed the troika's secretariat in Jeddah.
Other date in the books: Tuesday, 23 May 1989
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July 1989
Wednesday, 5 July 1989
The Lebanese war · 111101 entry in the original chronology
In a joint declaration from Paris, Presidents Mitterand and Gorbatchev call for an immediate cease-fire.
What the books addHanf dates a joint declaration by Presidents Gorbachev and Mitterrand on Lebanon, welcoming the Arab troika's efforts, to 5 June 1989.
Other date in the books: Monday, 5 June 1989
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February 1990
Saturday, 3 February 1990
The Lebanese war · 111101 entry in the original chronology
February 3, 4
The army takes control of Dbayeh after a tough battle.
What the books addHanf: the army's counter-offensive of 6 February 1990 reached the coast near Antelias and took Dbayeh, home to Lebanese Forces barracks and the militia's finance department.
Other date in the books: Tuesday, 6 February 1990
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April 1990
Tuesday, 3 April 1990
The Lebanese war · 111101 entry in the original chronology
The chief of the Lebanese Forces, Samir Geagea, joins President Hraoui, while General Michel Aoun turns to the Arab Troika. At the same time, the N.L.P. withdraws from the commandment of the Lebanese Forces.
What the books addHanf: Hrawi made unconditional acceptance of Taif the price of help when Geagea, after losing Ain al-Rummaneh, turned to the 'legal authorities' (Hrawi and the Hoss government) and passed four captured Fouga-Magister aircraft to General Lahoud's Qlayaat base. Aoun, low on fuel and ammunition, was supplied by the SSNP and Hobeika's pro-Syrian militia (Hanf); de Clerck and Malsagne also name Frangieh and Jumblatt.
Other date in the books: Friday, 16 February 1990
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November 1990
Monday, 5 November 1990
The Lebanese war · 111101 entry in the original chronology
The Damascus agreement between the Hezbollah and Amal is a copy of the one agreed upon on January 30th 1989. The cease-fire takes effect in the Iqlim-el-Touffah.
What the books addSources differ on dates. Picard has Damascus and Tehran imposing an Amal–Hezbollah ceasefire on 6 November 1990; de Clerck and Malsagne date the inter-Shi'i accord signed in Damascus to 9 November and, with Aoun's fall, treat it as formally ending the 'civil' war. Hanf says both movements withdrew their fighters from Iqlim al-Tuffah after drawn-out Syrian and Iranian mediation. That final round began in December 1989 (de Clerck and Malsagne, Confluences) or, in Hezbollah's official version, in July 1990, with an Amal siege of nearly 100 days.
Other dates in the books: Tuesday, 6 November 1990, Friday, 9 November 1990
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December 1990
Wednesday, 5 December 1990
The Lebanese war · 111101 entry in the original chronology
The Lebanese Army controls the port of Beirut and the 5th dock is closed to the maritime traffic.
What the books addHanf says 300 Lebanese Forces militiamen stayed at Karantina and the port after the December 1990 withdrawal, and dates the army's entry into the Fifth Basin and other militia ports to 11 March 1991.
Other dates in the books: Monday, 3 December 1990, Monday, 11 March 1991
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May 1991
Sunday, 5 May 1991
After the war · From the books
The government plans to find state jobs for 20,000 ex-militiamen.
The government planned to absorb former Christian and Muslim militiamen gradually into the army, security forces and administration. Only one intake followed: 6,000 men and some dozens of officers, announced in October 1993, and about 2,000 civil servants.
Sources differ: Hanf speaks of 20,000 to be trained; the integration actually carried out was 6,000.
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March 2000
Sunday, 5 March 2000
After the war · From the books
Israel's cabinet decides on a unilateral withdrawal from the south.
Barak's plan set 7 July 2000 for leaving the 'security zone'. Beirut, deferring to a stalled Damascus, prepared nothing.
Sources differ: Cabinet decision on 5 March (Abirached); Picard places Barak's announcement in April.
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September 2004
Tuesday, 7 September 2004
After the war · From the books
Four ministers, including Marwan Hamadeh, resign in protest.
Sources differ: Hamadeh is called economy minister (Abirached) or health minister (Khayat).
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October 2004
Sunday, 3 October 2004
After the war · From the books
Hariri hands his resignation to Lahoud.
Hariri took the 1 October attack that wounded Marwan Hamadeh as a breach of the assurances he had been given, and resigned two days later. Lahoud waited more than two weeks before accepting.
Sources differ: See 20 October: Abirached dates the resignation then.
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May 2005
Saturday, 7 May 2005
Since 2005 · From the books
General Michel Aoun returns from fifteen years of exile in France.
Back in Beirut, the Free Patriotic Movement leader told supporters on Freedom Square that his fellow opposition leaders were sectarian. He later came to terms with Hezbollah and joined forces with one-time pro-Syrian politicians.
Sources differ: 7 May (Quéméner) or 8 May (Abirached). Each date has one source; the others give only 'May' or 'a few days after' the withdrawal.
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August 2006
Monday, 7 August 2006
July 2006, as the books tell it · From the books
The cabinet decides to send 15,000 soldiers to the South.
The Lebanese cabinet's vote of 7 August, backed by Hezbollah and Amal ministers, to deploy 15,000 troops in the South after an Israeli withdrawal broke the Franco-American deadlock over the draft; Nasrallah praised the army's role two days later.
Sources differ: 34 Days gives both 7 August (p. 182) and 5 August (p. 202); Abirached gives 7 August.
Reports at the time: The archive confirms 7 August (21:45).
The reports of that day, as they came in
Other date in the books: Saturday, 5 August 2006
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May 2008
Wednesday, 7 May 2008
Since 2005 · From the books range
Hezbollah and its allies take over West Beirut (May 2008).
When the government moved to shut Hezbollah's private telecommunications network and dismissed the airport security chief, Hezbollah, Amal and the SSNP took West Beirut within hours, disarming Future Movement fighters and clashing with the PSP as the army held back. Fighting reached the Chouf and Tripoli. Picard likens it to a brief return of the civil war.
Sources differ: End date: 14 May (Confluences) or 21 May (de Clerck & Malsagne chronology). Deaths: nearly a hundred (de Clerck & Malsagne) against more than sixty (Quéméner).
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