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WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
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Lebanon
Index
The Lebanese Forces (LF) emerged as a political power in 1976
under the leadership of Bashir Jumayyil. At that time various
Christian militias joined forces to bring about the destruction of
the Palestinian refugee camp at Tall Zatar. In August of that year,
a joint command council was established to integrate formally the
several militias, but also to achieve a higher degree of
independence from the traditional political leaders, whom many of
the LF rank and file regarded as too moderate. Jumayyil first took
control of the military wing of his father's Phalange Party and
then proceeded to incorporate other Christian militias. Those who
resisted were forcibly integrated. In 1978 Jumayyil subjugated the
Marada Brigade, the militia of former president Sulayman Franjiyah,
killing Franjiyah's son, Tony, in the process. In 1980 the same
fate befell Camille Shamun's Tigers militia.
Thus, by the early 1980s the LF controlled East Beirut and
Mount Lebanon, and Jumayyil was its de facto president. But
Jumayyil did not confine the LF to the military realm only; he
created committees within the LF structure that had responsibility
for health, information, foreign affairs, education, and other
matters of public concern. Jumayyil established links with Israeli
authorities, and he consistently battled with Syrian forces
(see The Ascendancy of Bashir Jumayyil
, ch. 5). Important feature of the
LF's operations were its legal (official) and illegal (unofficial)
ports and the revenues generated by the transit trade
(see The Budget
, ch. 3). In this way, the LF took over the traditional role
of the state as a provider of public services.
Following the 1982 assassination of Bashir Jumayyil, the LF
suffered serious organizational cleavages. After numerous
succession struggles, Elie Hubayka (also seen as Hobeika)--
notorious for his role in the Sabra and Shatila massacres of 1982--
assumed the leadership of the LF. But when Hubayka signed the
Syrian-sponsored Tripartite Accord in December 1985 against the
wishes of President Amin Jumayyil, LF chief of staff Samir Jaja
(also seen as Geagea) launched an attack on Hubayka and his
loyalists and defeated them. Interestingly, Hubayka, who was once
noted for his close ties to Israel, in late 1987 was headquartered
in Zahlah, where he headed a separate pro-Syrian "Lebanese Forces"
(see Chaos in Beirut and Syrian Peacemaking Efforts
, ch. 5).
In 1987 the LF was one of the most important political and
military actors on the Lebanese scene. As leader of the LF, Jaja
wielded power rivaling that of President Jumayyil. Jaja embraced a
hardline, anti-Syrian position and revived ties with Israel. The LF
operated television and radio stations and published a weekly
magazine.
Data as of December 1987
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