After the war · From the books
UNIFIL's mandate is renewed and its strength cut to 4,500.
Search the chronologies
all by dates · all chronologieschronologiesallThe road to war 1968–1974The Lebanese war 1975–1990After the war 1991–2005July 2006, as the books tell it 2006Since 2005 2005–2025
35 entries on 34 dates · the books disagree on 6
January 2001
Tuesday, 30 January 2001
February 2001
February 2001: day not established
After the war · From the books
Christian opposition figures form the Qornet Shehwan Gathering.
Patriarch Sfeir informally led this anti-Syrian Christian gathering of the centre-right, whose members ranged from ex-president Amine Gemayel to Samir Frangieh, formerly of the National Movement.
Patriarch Sfeir informally led this anti-Syrian Christian gathering of the centre-right, whose members ranged from ex-president Amine Gemayel to Samir Frangieh, formerly of the National Movement.
Sources differ: February 2001 (Haugbolle) or April 2001 (Picard).
March 2001
March 2001: day not established
After the war · From the books
On a US tour, Patriarch Sfeir demands that Syrian forces leave Lebanon.
April 2001
April 2001: day not established
After the war · From the books
The 'Memory for the Future' colloquium breaks the silence on the war.
Amal Makarem convened it at the UN building in Beirut: Lebanese journalists, academics and lawyers met transitional-justice specialists from Germany, Rwanda and South Africa. Several organisers later set up the Association Mémoire pour l'Avenir.
Amal Makarem convened it at the UN building in Beirut: Lebanese journalists, academics and lawyers met transitional-justice specialists from Germany, Rwanda and South Africa. Several organisers later set up the Association Mémoire pour l'Avenir.
Sources differ: April 2001 (Haugbolle) or March 2001 (title cited by Reder).
Art and memory
- testimony Haugbolle's notes cite the 111101.net artist page and 111101.com: the artist Naji Zahar, he writes, started a war-memory discussion group in the late 1990s and later created 111101, an award-winning online memory database.
After the war · From the books
Rival demonstrations over Syria revive fears of war around 13 April.
Haugbolle notes that in April 2001 several newspapers wondered whether war could return: they reported ex-militiamen stirring in both East and West Beirut after rival rallies, some against Syria, some for the government.
Haugbolle notes that in April 2001 several newspapers wondered whether war could return: they reported ex-militiamen stirring in both East and West Beirut after rival rallies, some against Syria, some for the government.
May 2001
Thursday, 24 May 2001
After the war · From the books
A national holiday marks one year since the 'liberation' of the south.
Sources differ: Abirached dates the anniversary 24 May; de Clerck and Malsagne date the withdrawal itself to 25 May (see the withdrawal entry).
June 2001
June 2001: day not established
After the war · From the books
Syrian troops partly withdraw from Beirut.
In June 2001, a year after Bashar al-Assad took power, some Syrian units moved from Beirut and its eastern suburbs to the north and east, while the bulk of the army stayed. Reported troop numbers: 25,000 after 2000, 21,000 in 2001, 17,000 in 2004.
In June 2001, a year after Bashar al-Assad took power, some Syrian units moved from Beirut and its eastern suburbs to the north and east, while the bulk of the army stayed. Reported troop numbers: 25,000 after 2000, 21,000 in 2001, 17,000 in 2004.
August 2001
Saturday, 4 August 2001
After the war · From the books
Patriarch Sfeir's visit to the Chouf seals a Maronite-Druze reconciliation.
Patriarch Sfeir toured the Chouf and called on Walid Jumblatt, eighteen years after the Mountain war; thousands of villagers applauded. Yet most displaced Christians still did not return.
Patriarch Sfeir toured the Chouf and called on Walid Jumblatt, eighteen years after the Mountain war; thousands of villagers applauded. Yet most displaced Christians still did not return.
August 2001: day not established
After the war · From the books
Hundreds of Lebanese Forces and Aoun supporters are arrested.
Reacting to the Maronite–Druze reconciliation, the security services detained anti-Syrian activists for allegedly plotting against the state, and plainclothes police forcibly broke up a protest outside Beirut's Palace of Justice. The cabinet and parliament approved the crackdown.
Reacting to the Maronite–Druze reconciliation, the security services detained anti-Syrian activists for allegedly plotting against the state, and plainclothes police forcibly broke up a protest outside Beirut's Palace of Justice. The cabinet and parliament approved the crackdown.
Sources differ: Hundreds (Picard) or 200 (Quéméner).
October 2001
Monday, 22 October 2001
After the war · From the books
After Hezbollah strikes Israeli posts at Shebaa, Israel hits back with raids in the south.
2001
late 2001 (after 11 September): day not established
After the war · From the books
The United States lists Hezbollah as a terrorist group; Beirut refuses to act.
Washington asked Lebanon to freeze Hezbollah's assets and disarm it; the government refused, citing the unfinished Israeli withdrawal.
Washington asked Lebanon to freeze Hezbollah's assets and disarm it; the government refused, citing the unfinished Israeli withdrawal.
February 2012
February 2012: day not established
Since 2005 · From the books
Fighting in Tripoli between Bab al-Tabbaneh and Jabal Mohsen (February-December 2012).
From February to December, Tripoli's pro-regime Alawite quarter of Jabal Mohsen and its Sunni quarter of Bab al-Tebbaneh, which backed the Syrian opposition, clashed.
From February to December, Tripoli's pro-regime Alawite quarter of Jabal Mohsen and its Sunni quarter of Bab al-Tebbaneh, which backed the Syrian opposition, clashed.
June 2012
Monday, 11 June 2012
Since 2005 · From the books
The Baabda Declaration commits Lebanon to 'dissociation' from regional conflicts.
The declaration, agreed at President Sleiman's National Dialogue, pledged 'dissociation' from regional conflicts and border control, mainly towards Syria; Picard considers the promise empty from the outset.
The declaration, agreed at President Sleiman's National Dialogue, pledged 'dissociation' from regional conflicts and border control, mainly towards Syria; Picard considers the promise empty from the outset.
October 2012
Friday, 19 October 2012
Since 2005 · From the books
Intelligence chief Wissam al-Hassan is assassinated.
Seven people died along with Wissam al-Hassan, head of ISF intelligence and an investigator of Hariri's assassination, in a Beirut car bombing.
Seven people died along with Wissam al-Hassan, head of ISF intelligence and an investigator of Hariri's assassination, in a Beirut car bombing.
2012
2012: day not established
Since 2005 · From the books
Former minister Michel Samaha is arrested.
Picard treats the arrest as evidence that Syrian-paid agents took part in the unrest after the 2005 withdrawal.
Picard treats the arrest as evidence that Syrian-paid agents took part in the unrest after the 2005 withdrawal.
March 2016
Saturday, 19 March 2016
Since 2005 · From the books
Beirut's rubbish is finally collected and taken to new landfills.
Quéméner notes that one of the two new landfills had been sited too near Beirut's international airport.
Quéméner notes that one of the two new landfills had been sited too near Beirut's international airport.
April 2016
April 2016: day not established
Since 2005 · From the books
Refugee pressure: the labour minister asks for help; Hollande pledges aid.
In April 2016 Labour Minister Sejaan Azzi, citing 25 per cent unemployment and 1.5 million Syrians, asked the US ambassador to take the refugee burden off Lebanon. Visiting Beirut that month, François Hollande announced 50 million euros a year in refugee aid for 2016-2018.
In April 2016 Labour Minister Sejaan Azzi, citing 25 per cent unemployment and 1.5 million Syrians, asked the US ambassador to take the refugee burden off Lebanon. Visiting Beirut that month, François Hollande announced 50 million euros a year in refugee aid for 2016-2018.
May 2016
Sunday, 8 May 2016
Since 2005 · From the books
Beirut municipal elections: Hariri's list beats the civil-society list Beirut Madinati.
Saad Hariri's list won Beirut's council over Beirut Madinati ('Beirut, my city'), a civil-society slate that proposed deliberative urban planning and fielded engineers, architects, artists and researchers; Reder links it to the 2015 'You Stink' protests. Some 80 per cent of voters abstained.
Saad Hariri's list won Beirut's council over Beirut Madinati ('Beirut, my city'), a civil-society slate that proposed deliberative urban planning and fielded engineers, architects, artists and researchers; Reder links it to the 2015 'You Stink' protests. Some 80 per cent of voters abstained.
Art and memory
- artwork A 111101 project presents the 2016 Beirut municipal vote interactively, from the results and the electoral rolls (/Projects/Municipalities/results-beirut.php and voters-beirut.php).
July 2016
Tuesday, 5 July 2016
Since 2005 · From the books
A Syrian refugee camp is burned in Akkar.
A small Syrian refugee camp in Akkar, a poor Sunni region, was set on fire on the night of 5-6 July.
A small Syrian refugee camp in Akkar, a poor Sunni region, was set on fire on the night of 5-6 July.
summer 2016: day not established
Since 2005 · From the books
Beit Beirut, the memory museum in the Barakat building, is inaugurated but stays closed.
The municipality inaugurated Beit Beirut, the old snipers' building on the demarcation line, but kept it shut; its 2008-2016 restoration saw repeated quarrels among the municipality, architect and scientific committee. Paris's mayor visited in September.
The municipality inaugurated Beit Beirut, the old snipers' building on the demarcation line, but kept it shut; its 2008-2016 restoration saw repeated quarrels among the municipality, architect and scientific committee. Paris's mayor visited in September.
Art and memory
- memorial Beit Beirut, the old Barakat building on the demarcation line, was the municipality's planned museum of the city's memory. Reder finds that in 2016-2019 artists and NGOs, not the municipality, kept it alive.
October 2016
Monday, 31 October 2016
Since 2005 · From the books
Michel Aoun is elected President after twenty-nine months of vacancy.
Aoun, 81, ended a vacancy of over two years. A surplus envelope voided the last two of three rounds held before his election, Quéméner notes.
Aoun, 81, ended a vacancy of over two years. A surplus envelope voided the last two of three rounds held before his election, Quéméner notes.
November 2016
Thursday, 3 November 2016
Since 2005 · From the books
Saad Hariri is designated Prime Minister.
Hariri was named three days after Aoun's election.
Hariri was named three days after Aoun's election.
July 2024
Tuesday, 30 July 2024
Since 2005 · From the books
Israel kills a senior Hezbollah commander in Beirut.
The strike, the first escalation, killed many bystanders, children among them.
The strike, the first escalation, killed many bystanders, children among them.
September 2024
Tuesday, 3 September 2024
Since 2005 · From the books
Former central bank governor Riad Salameh is arrested.
The former central bank governor, accused of a key role in the financial crisis, was arrested; the arrest divided defenders acting from communal loyalty and citizens seeking their rights.
The former central bank governor, accused of a key role in the financial crisis, was arrested; the arrest divided defenders acting from communal loyalty and citizens seeking their rights.
Tuesday, 17 September 2024
Since 2005 · From the books range
Hezbollah's pagers and walkie-talkies explode across Lebanon (17-18 September).
Pagers and walkie-talkies carried by Hezbollah members were detonated simultaneously by remote control, killing and wounding many, numerous civilians among them. Other Lebanese went blind too, because an international embargo on corneal grafts followed and blocked urgent transplants.
Pagers and walkie-talkies carried by Hezbollah members were detonated simultaneously by remote control, killing and wounding many, numerous civilians among them. Other Lebanese went blind too, because an international embargo on corneal grafts followed and blocked urgent transplants.
Sources differ: Chronology (p. 579): at least 11 dead, 4,000 wounded; introduction (p. 26): 37 dead, several thousand wounded. The lower toll may cover only the first day.
Monday, 23 September 2024
Since 2005 · From the books
Israel launches operation 'Northern Arrows': 558 killed in one day.
Israel's 'Northern Arrows' began with strikes on the South, the Bekaa and Beirut's southern suburb; 558 died on 23 September, Lebanon's deadliest day in recent history.
Israel's 'Northern Arrows' began with strikes on the South, the Bekaa and Beirut's southern suburb; 558 died on 23 September, Lebanon's deadliest day in recent history.
Friday, 27 September 2024
Since 2005 · From the books
Hassan Nasrallah is killed in massive Israeli strikes on the southern suburb.
Bunker-buster raids on Beirut's southern suburb killed Hassan Nasrallah and much of Hezbollah's command. De Clerck and Malsagne say Netanyahu gave the order in New York while France's Emmanuel Macron was pressing for a truce.
Bunker-buster raids on Beirut's southern suburb killed Hassan Nasrallah and much of Hezbollah's command. De Clerck and Malsagne say Netanyahu gave the order in New York while France's Emmanuel Macron was pressing for a truce.
Sources differ: The introduction (p. 27) speaks of '85,000 tonnes' of bunker busters, which is hard to credit; a smaller figure or a different unit may have been intended.
Monday, 30 September 2024
Since 2005 · From the books
Israel invades South Lebanon by land.
This was the fourth Israeli ground invasion, after 1978, 1982 and 2006.
This was the fourth Israeli ground invasion, after 1978, 1982 and 2006.
September-November 2024: day not established
Since 2005 · From the books
Bombing damages Lebanon's heritage: Baalbek, Tyre, Nabatieh.
Israeli strikes razed whole villages in the South and Bekaa and damaged or destroyed heritage sites. Among those de Clerck and Malsagne describe as UNESCO-listed are Baalbek's Roman temple, Tyre's Roman remains and hippodrome, the temple of Douris, Tebnine's crusader fort and the Chamaa shrine; other landmarks hit include the Ottoman Manshiyya house in Baalbek, Nabatieh's old souk and the Palmyra Hotel.
Israeli strikes razed whole villages in the South and Bekaa and damaged or destroyed heritage sites. Among those de Clerck and Malsagne describe as UNESCO-listed are Baalbek's Roman temple, Tyre's Roman remains and hippodrome, the temple of Douris, Tebnine's crusader fort and the Chamaa shrine; other landmarks hit include the Ottoman Manshiyya house in Baalbek, Nabatieh's old souk and the Palmyra Hotel.
Art and memory
- place De Clerck and Malsagne list sites of Lebanon's long past damaged or destroyed in 2024, among them Baalbek's Roman temple and Palmyra Hotel, Tyre's hippodrome, Tebnine fort and Nabatieh's old souk.
October 2024
Tuesday, 1 October 2024
Since 2005 · From the books
Iran fires some 200 missiles at Israel after Nasrallah's killing.
Iran's strike answered the killings of Hassan Nasrallah and of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, the latter in Tehran on 31 July. Israel bombed Iran on 26 October, leaving Lebanon caught between the two.
Iran's strike answered the killings of Hassan Nasrallah and of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, the latter in Tehran on 31 July. Israel bombed Iran on 26 October, leaving Lebanon caught between the two.
Thursday, 3 October 2024
Since 2005 · From the books
Hashem Safieddine, expected to succeed Nasrallah, is killed.
Hashem Safieddine had been expected to succeed Hassan Nasrallah at the head of Hezbollah.
Hashem Safieddine had been expected to succeed Hassan Nasrallah at the head of Hezbollah.
Tuesday, 8 October 2024
Since 2005 · From the books
Netanyahu calls on the Lebanese to rise against Hezbollah.
He warned that Lebanon would suffer Gaza's fate if they did nothing.
He warned that Lebanon would suffer Gaza's fate if they did nothing.
Thursday, 24 October 2024
Since 2005 · From the books
Paris conference pledges aid to Lebanon.
The World Bank put the damage at $8.5 billion in November; the donors had pledged $800 million of humanitarian aid and $200 million for the army.
The World Bank put the damage at $8.5 billion in November; the donors had pledged $800 million of humanitarian aid and $200 million for the army.
November 2024
Wednesday, 27 November 2024
Since 2005 · From the books
Ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel; the displaced return at once.
Under the ceasefire Hezbollah was to pull back north of the Litani and the Lebanese army to deploy south of it, while Israel had sixty days to leave the South. It took effect two months to the day after Nasrallah's killing. Nearly a million displaced went home at once, though Israel breached the truce from day one. De Clerck and Malsagne count about 3,400 dead in the 66-day war, about 4,000 counting from 8 October 2023.
Under the ceasefire Hezbollah was to pull back north of the Litani and the Lebanese army to deploy south of it, while Israel had sixty days to leave the South. It took effect two months to the day after Nasrallah's killing. Nearly a million displaced went home at once, though Israel breached the truce from day one. De Clerck and Malsagne count about 3,400 dead in the 66-day war, about 4,000 counting from 8 October 2023.
December 2024
Sunday, 8 December 2024
Since 2005 · From the books
The Assad regime falls in Syria.
Israel at once took Mount Hermon's Syrian slopes and the remainder of the Syrian Golan. In Lebanon, joy at the regime's fall mingled with war hatreds revived by the freeing of prisoners from Syrian jails, and families hoping to find missing relatives alive were disappointed. Some Syrians went home; others fled into Lebanon fearing Islamist reprisals.
Israel at once took Mount Hermon's Syrian slopes and the remainder of the Syrian Golan. In Lebanon, joy at the regime's fall mingled with war hatreds revived by the freeing of prisoners from Syrian jails, and families hoping to find missing relatives alive were disappointed. Some Syrians went home; others fled into Lebanon fearing Islamist reprisals.