Word: syrian
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: during 1970-1979
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
...renewed fighting was touched off by a bitter feud involving the country's three major Christian factions: Pierre Gemayel's Phalangists, Camille Chamoun's National Liberals, and forces loyal to former President Suleiman Franjieh, a close ally of Syrian President Hafez Assad. The dispute centers on the fact that Gemayel and Chamoun would like to create a separate Christian state in northern Lebanon, while Franjieh supports a unified nation. Franjieh also believes the country's sovereignty is best guaranteed by the presence of the Syrian army...
While the Syrians have been maintaining the peace in areas controlled by the Palestinians and Muslim left, Gemayel and Chamoun have seized the opportunity to build up their own military forces. During the past three months, Gemayel's 15,000-man army, which is led by Israeli-trained officers, has tried to extend its influence over areas loyal to the other Christian chieftains. In several incidents, the Phalangists fired on Syrian soldiers, who initially retreated rather than get involved in pitched battles. Boasting about their "victories over the Syrian occupation," the Phalangists last month attacked the resort village...
Angered by this attack on his old friend, Assad decided it was time to crush the obstreperous Phalange. Using heavy artillery and rocket barrages, Syrian forces last week bombarded towns and installations controlled by Phalangist and National Liberal militiamen. The heaviest fire was concentrated on East Beirut, where both Gemayel's and Chamoun's headquarters went up in flames. "This is genocide against the Christians of Lebanon," protested Chamoun. Lebanese Foreign Minister Fuad Butros rushed to Damascus in a vain attempt to arrange a ceasefire. But Syria's tough Defense Minister Mustafa Tlas responded: "The Syrian army...
...that of Lebanon. If the Christian forces upset the balance of power in the country, and successfully turned half of Lebanon into an Israeli-backed ministate, Israel's forces would be that much closer to Syria by land and sea. For its part, Israel fears that a Syrian-dominated Lebanon, with leftist Muslims in control, would turn the country into another confrontation state...
...make its feelings forcefully plain, Israel sent eight Kfir fighters screaming in over Beirut. The low-flying jets broke the sound barrier, shattering windows and creating panic. The overflight was clearly intended as a warning to the Syrians by the Israelis, who also strengthened their positions along the Golan Heights and their border with Lebanon. Declared Major General Shlomo Gazit, chief of Israeli military intelligence: "Israel will not watch peacefully the Christian massacre in Beirut." In response, the Syrian air force went on alert, and Damascus rushed armored units of its own to the Golan Heights, where its usual three...