Politics

Al-Dahiye

Al-Dahiye, literally ‘the suburbs’, is the name of several rural neighborhoods in the south of Beirut. Some of them, such as Haret Hreik, used to be agricultural villages that have lost their rural identity...
Lebanon's Civil War (1975 - 1990)

1975: On 13 April, members of the Phalangist militia open fire on a busload of Palestinians in the Beirut area of Ain el-Remmaneh, marking the start of the Lebanese Civil War. Slowly, all sects and classes...
Martyrs Square Beirut

Although no more than a piece of concrete with a large number of parked cars on it, Martyrs Square is of big emotional importance. Until the early 20th century, the square was called Place des Canons,...
Palestinian Refugee Camps

In Lebanon, there are currently 12 Palestinian camps hosting over 50% of the almost half a million refugees: four in and near Beirut (Burj al-Barajne, Shatila, Dbayeh, and Mar Elias), two in Tripoli ...
Post-War Lebanon (1990 - 2006)

1992 - 1996: After the end of the Civil War, Syria maintains its presence in Lebanon, citing the weakness of the Lebanese national army to implement the Taif Accord. In 1992, the Brotherhood, Cooperation...
Recent Governments

JULY 2005

The Cabinet consisted of all party blocs, excluding the Free Patriotic Movement. It became interim following the end of the president’s mandate in November 2007. In 2008, following Hezbollah...
Religion in Lebanon

Home to 18 religions, Lebanon is the most religiously diverse country in the Middle East. Its main religions are Christianity (about 40%), Islam (about 60%) and Druze (about 5%).

Sunnis and Shi’ites
Very...
The Impact of the Syrian Revolution

With Lebanese politics already divided over the relationship between Lebanon and Syria, the revolt that begins in Syria in 2011 and ultimately led into a war inevitably has its impact on the political...