Syria against the Palestinians
Surprisingly, Arab Syria formally entered the Lebanese War at the call of the Maronite Christians. When the military superiority was on the side of the left Muslim forces, they also turned to Syria for help (earlier, Damascus supported Muslims by sending Palestinian units based in Syria). Christian militia chief Bashir Gemayel hoped Syria would help him get rid of the de facto Palestinian occupation of Lebanon. However, Damascus had its own plans for the Lebanese state. It is not without reason that the Syrians considered a significant part of Lebanon a historical part of their state. Also, the loss of the Golan Heights put Syria in an extremely unfavorable military-strategic position in relation to Israel. The deployment of Syrian troops in Lebanon would somewhat improve the balance of power between Syria and Israel. In addition, Hafez Assad did not want the victory of either the left, strengthening the position of the Palestinians, or the right, planning to restore balance in the country and the region as a whole.
The 12,000th Syrian corps entered Lebanon in April 1976. The intervention allowed Syria to become the country's main political force. Gradually, the Syrian military presence was increased to 30 thousand people. Lebanese Christian leaders supported Syrian action and Christians greeted Syrian troops as liberators. The US was also not opposed to such intervention by Syria. Jumblatt's desperate attempt to negotiate a national reconciliation with Christians and a joint action against Syrian forces through the mediation of newly elected Lebanese President Elias Sarkis was unsuccessful. Jumblatt's appeals to other Arab states and France to provide assistance in the fight against the Syrian troops were also unsuccessful.
Syrian forces entered Lebanon and began to advance towards Beirut, lifting the blockade around the surrounded Christian villages. Fierce fighting broke out between the Syrians and the Palestinians. Syria was not even stopped by the numerous mediation efforts of various Arab countries, dissatisfied with the alliance of Damascus with Christians and the Syrian military actions against the Palestine Liberation Organization. On June 7, Syrians attacked the Palestinian-controlled suburbs of Beirut. The Palestinians are being defeated. Palestinian militants kidnap US ambassador, embassy economic adviser and embassy driver in Beirut. All those abducted were executed. US evacuates embassy personnel from Beirut.
Thus, the open intervention of Syria radically changed the situation in Lebanon. The Phalangist Christians launched a counteroffensive. A large-scale battle begins for Tal Zaatar, the largest Palestinian refugee camp in Beirut's Dekwan district. The camp was home to about 15 thousand people, including a garrison of 2.5 thousand militants. The camp was originally located in an industrial area, so the Palestinians easily turned it into a real fortified area by the beginning of the battle. On June 22, 1976, the siege of the camp began, which lasted 2 months.
The main forces of Christians were the "Guardians of the Cedars" (led by Etienne Sacr), "Tigers of Akhrar" (Dani Shamun), "El-Tanzim" (George Advan). A total of about 2 thousand soldiers. The Palestinians moved troops from the south of the country in an attempt to break the blockade, but were unable to succeed. On June 29, Christian militias storm the small Palestinian camp of Jisr al-Basha, located near Tal Zaatar. On July 5, Palestinians storm the Christian cities of Kura and Chekka in northern Lebanon. Having removed part of the troops from the siege of Tal Zaatar, Christians literally at the last moment manage to save the population of these cities from massacres. Meanwhile, the Palestinians are deploying their troops from the south of the country, but the blockade around Tal Zaatar has not been broken.
On July 8, 1976, the Palestinians and their allies make another attempt to break the blockade of the camp. Jumblatt's troops strike at Christians in the area of Beirut's port and business city, while Palestinians are trying to break through the ring around the camp. However, this attempt also fails. On July 13, a Palestinian sniper from Tal Zaatar kills the leader of the military wing of the Phalangists, William Hawi, who has arrived to inspect his troops on the confrontation line. As a result, the command of the militia of the Phalangists and the united Christian detachments is completely concentrated in the hands of Bashir Gemayel.
In mid-July - early August, with the support of the Red Cross, civilians are evacuated from Tal Zaatar. The evacuation is accompanied by armed provocations on both sides. By early August, the Red Cross reports that 90% of the camp's civilian population has been evacuated. Most of them settle in the former Christian Damura. On August 6, the Phalangists took control of the Shiite Nabaa region of Beirut, through which the Palestinians are trying to break through from Tal Zaatar. They offer the enemy to surrender in order to save the civilian population. The Palestinians refuse. Arafat promises to turn Tal Zaatar into Stalingrad. On August 12, after a fierce assault, Christians take the Tal Zaatar camp. Christian militants take revenge on the Palestinians for the massacre in Damura, do not take either the militants or the remaining civilians prisoner: about 2 thousand people were killed and 4 thousand were wounded. At the same time, the phalangists are bulldozing the camp to prevent its re-settlement by Palestinians. In its brutality, Tal Zaatar's purge surpassed the massacre in Damur.
Battles in Tal Zaatar
Ruined Tal Zaatar
Palestinians and Jumblatt's troops take revenge. On 17 August, they begin rocket and artillery attacks on Beirut. More than 600 volleys are turning the capital of Lebanon into hell. However, in August and September, Syrian troops continued to pressurize the Palestinians, already in northern Lebanon. The PLO is now in a hopeless position. As a result, by October 1976, Syrian forces brutally suppressed all Palestinian groups and took control over the entire territory of Lebanon. This forced the Arab countries, which were extremely dissatisfied with the actions of Damascus, to intervene in the course of the civil war. It is worth noting that, as in the present, Arab unity was only an appearance. Several countries claimed regional leadership (in particular, Egypt, Syria, Saudi Arabia). Therefore, the strengthening of Damascus' positions in Lebanon irritated the rest of the Arab countries.
In early October, almost all parties to the Lebanese conflict met in France and Saudi Arabia. Lebanese President Elias Sarkis, Egyptian President Anwar Saddat, Syrian President Hafez Assad, Emir of Kuwait, King of Saudi Arabia, Gemayel, Kamal Jumblat, and PLO leader Yasser Arafat met at the negotiating table. The parties agreed on an armistice, the withdrawal of Syrian troops, the introduction of Arab peacekeeping forces, and the creation of a permanent Arab force to maintain stability in Lebanon. During the year, the clauses of the agreement were largely fulfilled. The "green helmets" of the Arab peacekeeping forces occupied all territories, excluding the southern regions of Lebanon controlled by the army of Saad Hadad. At the same time, the Arab peacekeeping forces mainly consisted of Syrians (85% of the troops). That is, the Syrians have retained their positions in Lebanon.
Thus, the first stage of the war in Lebanon ended. During the two years of the war, only about 60 thousand people were counted as dead. The country's infrastructure was destroyed. The prosperous "Middle Eastern Switzerland" is a thing of the past. The Lebanese capital Beirut was in ruins, leaving two-thirds of its pre-war 1.5 million population. The Palestinian formation and the NPS bloc were defeated. Despite the fact that skirmishes continued in some places, by the beginning of the new year, most of the Palestinian and Lebanese groups had laid down their heavy weapons. Beirut was divided into the Western part (Palestinians and Muslims) and the Eastern part (Christians). The Union of Christian Parties "Lebanese Front" is significantly strengthening its position, and its united army "Lebanese Forces" under the command of the young leader Bashir Gemayel is gradually becoming a powerful force.
On December 4, 1976, they tried to assassinate the leader of the Lebanese Druze and one of the main leaders of the leftist movement in Lebanon, Jumblatt. 4 people were killed and 20 injured. Kamal himself survived. The leader of the Muslim Left Forces (NPS) Kamal Jumblatt was shot on March 16, 1977 in his car between Baaklin and Deir Durrit in Shuf district, southeast of Beirut. In response, the Druze staged a massacre of Christians in the areas adjacent to the murder site, killing, according to various estimates, from 117 to 250 civilians. The village of Deir-Durrit was wiped off the face of the earth. In Christian areas, news of Jumbblatt's death was greeted with jubilation. This is not surprising. Jumblatt was hated by many in Lebanon. If in Beirut and other parts of Lebanon the Druze formations supported the Palestinians, then in mountainous Lebanon, in the places of the original residence of the Druze, they "cleaned" the territory from everyone they could get. Not only Christians were massacred, but Palestinians, Sunnis and Shiites. Ethno-confessional massacre in Lebanon was then commonplace. Jumblatt has already "got" many, and representatives of a number of groups would gladly eliminate him.
As a result, the NPC block finally disintegrates. The Syrians were suspected of killing Jumblatt. Shortly before his death, Jumblatt began to recklessly launch aggressive attacks on the Alawite leadership of Syria, claiming the Sunni-Alawite conflict and the alliance of the Alawites with the Lebanese Maronite Christians.
Fighters of the Christian "Phalanx"
The second stage of the Lebanese War. Israeli intervention
It seemed that the war was over and the peace would be long. 1977 was a time of respite. The country is slowly moving away from the war. Embassies of various countries of the world are returning to Beirut. So, the United States is returning its embassy to Beirut. Famous artists Charles Aznavour, Julio Iglesias, Demis Rusos, Joe Dassin and Delilah perform in ruined Beirut with concerts. In the summer, the first groups of tourists arrive in Lebanon.
However, the Great Game continued in the Middle East. The United States did not want to strengthen the position of Syria (an ally of the USSR) in the region. Israel was dissatisfied with the outcome of the war: Syria gained too much influence in Lebanon. Syria is actually occupying the northern part of Lebanon, which it considers its territory. The Israelis did not want to tolerate the deployment of Syrian troops in areas from which they could strike at the Jewish state, bypassing the fortifications on the Golan Heights. At the same time, the Arab (de facto - Syrian) peacekeepers performed the functions of maintaining peace in southern Lebanon formally - the Palestinian raids against Jewish settlements in northern Israel did not stop. After the conclusion of a peace treaty with Egypt in 1976 at Camp David, the Israelis hoped to sign a similar agreement with Lebanon. The problem was: who to sign it with? Lebanese President Frangier took a pro-Syrian position. Bashir Gemayel was the only suitable candidate for the role of a convenient leader for Israel. Therefore, the Israeli government maintained contact with Bashir Gemayel and strengthened his strength.
At the same time, Syria's relations with Christian parties are deteriorating, demanding the immediate withdrawal of the Syrian peacekeeping contingent, which has essentially become an occupation contingent. Christians fear that the Syrians will remain in Lebanon for a long time and take over part of the country. Leaders of Christians in Lebanon begin covert cooperation with Israel, which supplies Christian troops with weapons and equipment, and provides financial support. Christian militia fighters underwent training in Israel. The United States is also arming Christian militias by deploying weapons and equipment across the sea. In turn, Damascus is changing its tactics in Lebanon. The Syrians are beginning to attract former opponents from the ranks of the collapsed NPS to their side. Syrian troops begin rearmament of Palestinian and Lebanese Muslim groups under their control.
On February 7, 1978, Syrians from the Arab contingent of peacekeepers arrest the military leader of the Christian Lebanese Forces, Bashir Gemayel, at a checkpoint in the Ashrafiye region of Beirut. On the same day, the Syrians attack the Lebanese army barracks in Fedayah. The army offers unexpected strong resistance, as a result of which the Syrians lose 20 people killed and 20 more prisoners. Until February 9, the Syrians, with the support of artillery, attacked the army barracks of the Lebanese. The Christian militia "Tigers of Ahrar" comes to the aid of the Lebanese army. Dozens of deaths on both sides. On February 16, the parties exchange prisoners. Skirmishes between the Phalangists and the PLO also began. The leaders of the Christian community declare that from now on the Syrian army in Lebanon is occupying and demand its withdrawal. At the same time, a split occurred in the leadership of the Lebanese Front over the issue of the Syrian presence in Lebanon. As a result, the pro-Syrian Suleiman Frangier left him.
However, the relatively small and scattered Christian units could not withstand the Syrian army and Palestinian units. The Christians needed Israel's direct support to create a buffer zone in southern Lebanon where there would be no PLO troops and a regular pro-Israel Lebanese army could be created. Ariel Sharon, then Israel's defense minister, pushed back in the mid-1970s for a buffer zone 15 miles north of the border with Lebanon along the Litania River.
All that was needed was a pretext for the invasion of Lebanon. He soon appeared. On March 11, 1978, Palestinian militants disembark in the area of the Israeli city of Haifa, hijack a regular bus and move along the highway to Tel Aviv, shooting civilians from the bus windows. As a result, 37 Israeli civilians were killed. Then the Israeli troops eliminated the terrorists. Israel responded by launching the Litania military operation, which lasted three months. 15 March 25 thous. An Israeli group, supported by aircraft, artillery and tanks, invades southern Lebanon and drives Palestinian forces north of the Litani River. The cities of Kuzai, Damur and Tir are bombed. The Lebanese and Palestinians lost between 300 and 1500 people killed, the Israeli losses were minimal - 21 people.
As a result, Israeli forces occupied southern Lebanon and placed it under the control of the South Lebanon Defense Army (Army of South Lebanon), led first by Major Saad Haddad and then by General Antoine Lahad. This army was formed with the support of the Israeli army with the aim of creating a "buffer" between the Jewish state and hostile forces in the north. The training of the army, its equipment and maintenance was carried out directly by Israel. The Army of South Lebanon was 80% Christian. The rest were Shia Muslims, as well as a small number of Druze and Sunni Muslims.
The UN is sending UNIFIL blue helmets to Lebanon to monitor the withdrawal of Israeli troops and to help restore Lebanese sovereignty over southern Lebanon. Israel begins a gradual withdrawal of its troops, transferring control over the occupied Lebanese territory to the Christian "Army of South Lebanon". In addition, Israel is drawing a "red line" along the banks of the Litani River. Israel warns Syria that if Syrian soldiers cross the red line, the Israeli army will attack the Syrians. At the same time, units of the "Army of South Lebanon" attack the UN peacekeepers. Later, the "blue helmets" came under attack and Palestinian troops. As a result, the peacekeepers were never able to restore Lebanese sovereignty in the south of the country.
Under cover of the Israeli invasion, the Phalangist troops launched a large-scale offensive against their opponents. The war began with renewed vigor. Thus, Syria, solving primarily its own military-strategic tasks, managed in 1976 to stop the civil war in Lebanon. The world lasted almost 2 years. However, the actions of Israel and the Christian "Phalanx" led to a new round of conflict, which again escalated into a major war.
