Lebanon is a Middle Eastern, coastal nation which lies between Israel and Syria. It is a country full of ethnic diversity, formerly seen as a refuge for the region’s persecuted religious factions. Lebanon is also considered the melting pot of the Middle East with its unique blend of Eastern and Western cultures. The nation today is predominately Arab Muslim with a strong Christian minority.
Lebanon – The Crossroads of East and West and Independence
The nation of Lebanon has a long and storied history dating back to biblical times. It has come under the rule of many different civilizations and kingdoms, both Eastern and Western, making it a hub of different cultural influences. Great powers such as the ancient Canaanites, Israel, Rome, Byzantium, Muslim Syria, and finally the Turkish Ottoman Empire have all controlled this territory.
After the Ottoman Empire’s defeat and collapse at the end of WWI, Lebanon became a province of France. Although technically an independent state, Lebanon did not receive full independence from France until 1943. At this time Christianity was the dominant religion and ethnic group of the nation, with Muslims making up a large minority.
The unwritten National Pact called for an even distribution of power between Lebanon’s different ethnic groups, and guaranteed the independence of Lebanon by denying absorption into another Arab state or being controlled by Western powers. For a time this kept much of the population satisfied. However, events in Lebanon and in the Middle East would soon serve to sever the ties that held these groups in peaceful harmony.
The Growing Conflict Between Christians and Muslims
Beginning in the early 1950s, ethnic divisions between the Christians and Muslims of Lebanon began to destabilize the country. The first president of Lebanon, Bishara al Khouri, was accused of promoting sectarian policies that favored the Christians and of stagnating Lebanon’s economy. A group called the Socialist National Front or SNF was at the head of these accusations. They demanded that the president end his favoritism towards Christians and held protests and rallies against his regime calling for his resignation. The group even organized a general strike that lead to all major operations in Lebanon’s cities coming to a halt.
The nonviolent protests and strikes became known as the “Rosewater Revolution” for its nonviolence, and after receiving no support from his army chief of staff, al Khouri resigned. The leader of the SNF Camille Chamoun was then elected president in 1952. However, he was criticized for keeping the status quo of the al Khouri regime in which Christians still held the highest government offices and continued to claim to have the largest majority in the nation. Tensions again began to mount as the Arab-Israeli conflict inadvertently spilled over pan-Arabic sentiment into Lebanon influencing its large Muslim population.
The Little Known Casualty of the Arab-Israeli Conflict
Lebanon throughout its history had been known as the melting pot of the Middle East. It was seen as a beacon of hope that different cultures and religions could peacefully coexist. The National Pact’s intent was to unify the nation, regardless of religious differences. The Arab Israeli Conflict, however, would have a devastating effect on Lebanon’s national unity; invoking religious intolerance in a historically tolerant nation.
Sources:
History of Lebanon.CEDARLAND.
The CIA World Fact Book
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