112 entries on 106 dates · the books disagree on 27
dates 1–60 of 106 next
January 1988
Friday, 1 January 1988
The Lebanese war · Added from the books
Al-Mashreq, the country's second-largest bank, collapses.
Early in 1988 Al-Mashreq, the country's second-biggest bank, went bankrupt, throwing the banking system into a serious crisis. De Clerck links the bank's difficulties to the collapse, at the end of 1988, of the Kataeb financial network managed by Roger Tamraz.
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Sunday, 10 January 1988
The Lebanese war · 111101 entry in the original chronology
In order to avoid the escalation, Joumblatt surrenders the 'Gazelle' to the Hammana barrack but the major insists on going back to Adma. Two days later, this crisis is forgotten and the maritime blockade is lifted up.
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Monday, 18 January 1988
The Lebanese war · Added from the books
Amal lifts its blockade of the Palestinian camps.
Amal ended the blockade of the Palestinian camps it had kept up since 1985. Hanf gives two reasons: the West Bank intifada, which made Syria and Amal look like Israel's accomplices if they kept squeezing the camps, and Amal's coming fight with Hezbollah.
Sources differ: Existing entry 1053 (20 January) describes Syrian and Sixth Brigade deployment around Chatila and Bourj al-Barajneh. Picard's chronology dates an agreement ending the war of the camps to 11 September 1987; Hanf (p. 304) also says the war ended only in late 1988.
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Wednesday, 20 January 1988
The Lebanese war · 111101 entry in the original chronology
The camps war, that lasted three years, seems to come close to an end with the deployment of the Syrian army and the Lebanese Army sixth brigade, replacing Amal around Chatila and Bourj-Brajneh.
What the books addHanf (p. 315) dates the lifting of Amal's blockade of the camps to 18 January 1988. The sources disagree on when the war of the camps ended: September 1987 (Picard's chronology), January 1988 (Picard, Hanf, de Clerck) or late 1988 (Hanf, p. 304).
Other dates in the books: Friday, 11 September 1987, Monday, 18 January 1988
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Thursday, 21 January 1988
The Lebanese war · 111101 entry in the original chronology
The institute 'Etudes et Consultations Economiques' publishes the results of its annual analysis of the price increase in Beirut. They show an increase of 721% during the year 1987.
What the books addAccording to de Clerck and Malsagne (pp. 204-205), inflation peaked in 1987: the pound was devalued by 485% and Beirut consumer prices went up 450%.
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Monday, 25 January 1988
The Lebanese war · 111101 entry in the original chronology
While hail falls on most of the country causing important damages, police patrols go round bakeries that are reducing the 2 kilos 'rabta' of bread, sold regularly at 65 LBP., to 1700grs.
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Friday, 29 January 1988
The Lebanese war · 111101 entry in the original chronology
The fall of the dollar (400 LBP.) on the market (it had reached 430 LBP.) allows the Minister of Industry and Oil to reduce the price of oil from 1400 LBP. to 1200 LBP. and the ton of fuel from 69,200 LBP. to 52,000 LBP.
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February 1988
Thursday, 4 February 1988
The Lebanese war · 111101 entry in the original chronology
The emissary of President Amine Gemayel, Elie Salem, meets with the Secretary of State George Schultz in Washington in the presence of the Sub-Secretary for the Middle East Affairs, Richard Murphy.
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Wednesday, 17 February 1988
The Lebanese war · Added from the books
US Colonel William Higgins, of the UN truce supervisors, is kidnapped near Tyre.
William Higgins, an American lieutenant-colonel with the UN Truce Supervision Organisation (UNTSO), was abducted at Tyre. He was accused of making the south a 'buffer zone serving Israel'. Amal held Hezbollah responsible, one of the grievances behind their war. A film of his hanging in captivity was circulated on 31 July 1989.
Sources differ: The Confluences article calls him a UNIFIL official; de Clerck's book says UNTSO.
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March 1988
Friday, 18 March 1988
The Lebanese war · 111101 entry in the original chronology
The Ivory Coast decides to close its embassy in Beirut fearing that a negative action against its diplomats could cause repercussions on the Lebanese that live in the Ivory Coast.
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March 1988: day not established
The Lebanese war · Added from the books
Brief fighting on the upper Metn front between the SSNP and the army.
Sunni soldiers from Akkar were among the army troops defending the Christian heartland on the upper Metn line when SSNP militiamen, mostly Christians from the same region, some from the same villages, attacked under Syrian artillery cover. The fighting stopped abruptly once they realised it.
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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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Wednesday, 6 April 1988
The Lebanese war · 111101 entry in the original chronology
Following combats between Amal and Hezbollah, Nabatiyeh falls in the hands of Amal militiamen.
What the books addThe books date the start of the Amal-Hezbollah fighting in the south to 5 April 1988 (de Clerck); Picard's chronology gives 28 November 1988, which seems to describe the later round in Beirut.
Other dates in the books: Tuesday, 5 April 1988, Monday, 28 November 1988
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Saturday, 30 April 1988
The Lebanese war · 111101 entry in the original chronology
The body of Bishop Albert Khoreiche was discovered in the forest of Chnaiir, provoking consternation in every milieu. He had disappeared eight days earlier in mysterious conditions.
What the books addDe Clerck and Malsagne (p. 420) identify the victim as head of the Maronite religious court and nephew of the former Patriarch Khoreiche. His body was discovered in a Ghazir forest on 1 May 1988, and the killing was attributed to the Lebanese Forces.
Other date in the books: Sunday, 1 May 1988
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May 1988
Wednesday, 4 May 1988
The Lebanese war · 111101 entry in the original chronology
The affair of the three last French hostages has a happy ending. Marcel Fontaine, Marcel Carton and Jean-Paul Kauffman, detained for three years by the Islamic Jihad, are finally released. Michel Seurat, dead one year after he was made captive, wasn't as lucky.
What the books addJean-Charles Marchiani, the secret negotiator, later confirmed a Franco-Iranian bargain, suspected when the hostages were freed four days before the presidential run-off (de Clerck and Malsagne, p. 411).
Art and memory- testimony Jean-Paul Kauffmann wrote at length of his three years in captivity in L'Evenement du Jeudi (12-18 May 1988); Fisk judges it the most harrowing account by any Beirut hostage.
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Friday, 6 May 1988
The Lebanese war · Added from the books
Amal and Hezbollah begin fighting for the southern suburbs of Beirut.
Beirut's southern suburbs became the scene of the second, deadlier round of the Amal-Hezbollah war. Hezbollah took most of the suburbs in about two weeks, after which Syrian troops entered to protect Amal; Quéméner counts 600 dead.
Sources differ: Hanf says Hezbollah, backed by Iranian Revolutionary Guards and by money that bought over Amal commanders, attacked Amal; the Confluences article, citing sources close to Hezbollah, says it held back until Amal attacked. Entry 1074 gives 157 dead and 666 wounded in six days. For the Syrian entry, Hanf gives 17 May 1988, de Clerck and Malsagne '19 May 1989', and entry 1077 gives 27 May.
Other date in the books: Tuesday, 17 May 1988
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Wednesday, 11 May 1988
The Lebanese war · 111101 entry in the original chronology
Iran and Syria sponsored a seven-point agreement destined to consolidate the end of combats in the southern suburbs that made, in 6 days, 157 death and 666 injured. The agreement was revised a few days later.
What the books addThe suburb fighting began on 6 May 1988 (de Clerck). The sources disagree on who attacked first: Hezbollah with Iranian support (Hanf) or Amal (de Clerck and Malsagne, Confluences). Quéméner puts the toll at 600 dead over two weeks.
Other dates in the books: Friday, 6 May 1988, Tuesday, 17 May 1988
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Thursday, 26 May 1988
The Lebanese war · 111101 entry in the original chronology
The Generals Ghazi Kanaan and Said Bayraqdar, respectively chief of S.S and Commander of the Syrian Forces in Lebanon, barely escape an attack in Ghobayre.
What the books addHanf (p. 317, note 221) describes a Hezbollah anti-tank attack on an armoured car carrying four senior Syrian officers, without casualties, in connection with the Syrian entry into the suburbs.
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Friday, 27 May 1988
The Lebanese war · 111101 entry in the original chronology
Syrians deploy in the southern suburbs of Beirut.
What the books addHanf (p. 317) dates the Syrian entry into the southern suburbs to 17 May 1988; de Clerck and Malsagne write 19 May (with the year printed as 1989). Neither gives 27 May.
Other dates in the books: Friday, 6 May 1988, Tuesday, 17 May 1988
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early May 1988: day not established
The Lebanese war · Added from the books
Fatah and Abu Musa's dissidents fight for the Beirut camps.
Abu Musa's Syrian-backed Palestinians attacked Arafat's loyalists in Chatila and Bourj al-Barajneh once Amal had turned on Hezbollah; for about two months Palestinians fought in the camps while Shi'is fought in the suburbs. Bourj al-Barajneh's 17,000 people of 30 April, before the fighting, were 2,500 by summer.
Sources differ: De Clerck (p. 110) opens the same passage with 'December 1988', apparently a misprint, since he then says the fighting began in May. Counting back 59 days from 28 June (de Clerck) also gives about 30 April.
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June 1988
Sunday, 5 June 1988
The Lebanese war · 111101 entry in the original chronology
2,200 tons of toxic waste were illegally brought in Lebanon and kept on waste grounds in the Kesrouan, after being rejected by Italy, Syria and Venezuela.
What the books addDe Clerck (p. 350) places the traffic in 1987 and implicates the Lebanese Forces. Its figures, from Greenpeace: 15,800 barrels and 20 containers from Italy, of which 5,500 barrels went back in 1988-1989; the rest was burned, dumped or buried, partly in the Kesrouan mountains.
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Monday, 27 June 1988
The Lebanese war · 111101 entry in the original chronology
Chatila falls in the hands of the Palestinian dissidents.
What the books addDe Clerck (pp. 170, 576) dates the fall of Chatila to 28 June 1988, after 59 days of shelling; Arafat's fighters were escorted to Ain al-Hilweh.
Other dates in the books: Tuesday, 28 June 1988, Friday, 8 July 1988
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July 1988
Friday, 8 July 1988
The Lebanese war · Added from the books
Bourj al-Barajneh camp falls to Abu Musa's forces.
After some 70 days of fighting, Syrian-backed Fatah dissidents took Bourj al-Barajneh, the last base Arafat held in Beirut. The Lebanese Internal Security Forces escorted his fighters to Ain al-Hilweh, outside Sidon; Syria now controlled the Beirut camps.
Sources differ: De Clerck's chapter 2 says 'early July' and 'ten days' after Chatila fell at the end of June; his chronology and Hanf give 8 July.
Other date in the books: Tuesday, 28 June 1988
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Sunday, 17 July 1988
The Lebanese war · 111101 entry in the original chronology
While Beirut suffers powerlessly from the prolonged electricity failure and a tough water rationing, a flame of violence takes place in the North. Combats between the Jaafar and the population of Kobeyate kill 8 eight persons and wound about 30.
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August 1988
Tuesday, 16 August 1988
The Lebanese war · 111101 entry in the original chronology
The former 78 years old Chief of State, Sleiman Frangie, announces officially his candidacy for the presidential elections.
What the books addTwo days later, on 18 August 1988, the session convened at the Mansour Palace failed to reach a quorum (Hanf, p. 569).
Other date in the books: Thursday, 18 August 1988
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Thursday, 18 August 1988
The Lebanese war · Added from the books
The presidential election fails for lack of a quorum.
Syria backed Suleiman Franjieh. Speaker Hussein Husseini convened the deputies at the Mansour Palace, reachable from both sides of the Green Line. Of 76 surviving deputies, Muslims came (28 of 35), but only 10 of 41 Christians (2 of 21 Maronites), some stopped by the Lebanese Forces. With no quorum, Lebanon for the first time risked missing the constitutional deadline to elect a president.
The Lebanese war · Added from the books
Salim al-Hoss withdraws his government's resignation.
President Gemayel wrote to Salim al-Hoss that the Constitution made the Karami cabinet's resignation final and that he would name a new cabinet before leaving office. Hoss, acting Prime Minister, had taken back that resignation after the failed session, to hold executive power if the presidency fell vacant.
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August 1988: day not established
The Lebanese war · Added from the books
West Beirut receives water three hours a day.
West Beirut's taps ran only three hours a day in August 1988, as Greater Beirut's water and power supply, worsened by economic decline, kept failing.
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September 1988
Thursday, 15 September 1988
The Lebanese war · Added from the books
US envoy Richard Murphy begins talks in Damascus on the presidency.
Akkar deputy Mikhail Daher was jointly put forward for president by Washington and Damascus after US special envoy Richard Murphy's three days of talks in Damascus. Hanf ties US backing for Syria's choice to hopes of Syrian help over American hostages.
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Sunday, 18 September 1988
The Lebanese war · 111101 entry in the original chronology
Mikhael Daher, deputy from the North, 'was designated' candidate at the presidential elections in accordance with a Syrian-American agreement. This designation did not please everyone.
What the books addHanf (pp. 569-570): the joint US-Syrian proposal came out of three days of talks in Damascus from 15 September, after which Murphy warned the Maronite Patriarch that the alternative to Daher was chaos.
Other date in the books: Thursday, 15 September 1988
The Lebanese war · Added from the books 18–21 September 1988
Christian leaders reject the US-Syrian candidate: 'Daher or chaos'.
Army commander Michel Aoun refused to accept a president chosen by Washington and Damascus, and twenty-seven deputies asked the Maronite Patriarch for a free vote at the Mansour Palace. Murphy had warned the Patriarch that the alternative to Daher was chaos, and Husseini had called the deputies to the old parliament on Place de l'Etoile, in a Syrian-held area.
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Wednesday, 21 September 1988
The Lebanese war · Added from the books
Gemayel's last mediation in Damascus; Aoun and Geagea meet.
Michel Aoun and Samir Geagea met while President Amin Gemayel, a day before his term ended, was in Damascus on a final mediation attempt; both feared he would yield to Syria. Back in Lebanon, Gemayel told the deputies gathered at the patriarchate that only Daher's election remained; they refused again.
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dates 1–60 of 106 next
