Middle East Information Resource
Political Entities - Phalanges
The Phalanges (hizb al-kata`ib) was founded in Lebanon in 1936, as a paramilitary youth organization. Pierre Jumayyil was inspired by the Hitler Ugend, the Nazi Youth Movement and founded it with Georges Naqqash and Charles Hilou.
The Phalanges were de facto a Christian-Maronite organization, defenders of the Maronite community and Christian Lebanon. The Phalanges saw France as a defender of Lebanon`s separate independence and Christian character. However, the French did not ratify the Franco-Lebanese Treaty of 1936 and Lebanese independence. The Phalanges conflicted with the French and the group was dissolved in 1937 and again in 1942. In 1943 the Phalanges joined demonstrations and strikes in support of the Lebanese government.
Once again legalized, the Phalanges became a political party, but retained a paramilitary structure. In the 1940`s they opposed President Bishara al-Khouri and his pan-Arabism. In 1949 they were again outlawed, after violence with the Syrian Social Nationalist Party. It was called the "Lebanese Unity Party" until May 1952, when it restored its present name. In the 1958 civil war, the Phalanges supported President Camille Chamoun against the Nasserist rebels. After the crisis, it prevented formation of a government dominated by the former rebels, by threatening a new civil war.
In the 1960`s and early 1970`s the Phalanges were a political faction, more that a fully constituted party. In elections, it joined lists of other parties. Lebanese politics revolves around family and clan loyalties; as an ideological party, the Phalanges lacked backing from Lebanon`s traditional leaders, the Zua`ma. They usually had a handful of deputies in Parliament. They formed a loose alliance with Raymond Edde`s "National Bloc" and Camille Chamoun`s "National Liberals."
The Phalanges consider the Lebanese communities the foundation of a society and culture dating back to the Phoenicians. To them it is necessary for pluralism to be safeguarded by the constitution. They accord to the Christians, especially the Maronites, a political predominance. The Phalanges also defended the Jewish community in Beirut in 1948, 1958, and 1967.
The Phalanges acknowledge Arab cultural ties, but opposes inclusion of Lebanon in any plan of Arab unity. It accepts some all-Arab policies, but gives precedence to Lebanese interests . Since 1948, it has acquiesced to Arab policies towards Israel. It has officially supported Palestinian guerrilla activities, but opposed operations from Lebanese soil and challenged growing PLO power in Lebanon. Some of the Phalanges maintained undercover links with Israel and received Israeli support since the late 1940`s.
In the Civil War (1975-1990), the Phalanges were the main Christian military power, sometimes with cooperation from Christian dominated units of the Lebanese army. A younger generation of military leaders emerged, led by Bashir Jumayyil, the younger son of the founder-leader. Pierre Jumayyil remained chairman, but stayed in the background. In 1976 Bashir Jumayyil established the Lebanese Forces, designed to be part of his unified Christian command. Rival Christian militias, such as Franjiyeh`s Morado and Chamoun`s "Tigers," were coerced.
Beginning in 1980, the Phalanges Lebanese Forces controlled most of the Christian areas of East Beirut and central Mount Lebanon. They set up the "Voice of Lebanon" and "Voice of Free Lebanon" radio services, and became the provider of basic services in the Christian "canton." It collected taxes and levies on imports in several ports it controlled.
Under Bashir Jumayyil, the Phalanges received material and logistical help. The Israeli invasion of Lebanon in June 1982 was well received by the Lebanese Forces, who had general knowledge of the Israeli plan. The Phalanges shared Israel`s interest in forcing the Palestinian military out of Lebanon. Israel wanted the Phalanges to dominance in Lebanon. The Phalanges, however, were cautious in this collaboration lest it compromnise Bashir`s election prospects.
The Lebanese Forces did not capture Muslim West Beirut, as Israel had expected, nor did they cooperate with Israel`s other allies in Lebanon, but they did become the dominant political and military force in most of Lebanon, outside the Syrian-occupied zones. In August 1982 Bashir Jumayyil was elected President. On September 14, he was killed when the Phalanges headquarters was blown up by a member of the SSNP. A week later, his brother Allin replaced him as President. Phalanges units, in coordination with the Israel Defence Force, stormed the Palestinian camps of Sabra and Shatila in West Beirut. Israel captured the camps by September 15. The Phalanges massacred hundreds of Palestinians, mostly civilians. They were reportedly commanded by Hie Hubeika, the head of the Phalanges secret services.
The military leadership was more aggressive than President Allin Jumayyil. It expanded the areas under its control, with Israeli connivance, in the Shuf region southeast of Beirut. However, once Israeli troops withdrew in September 1983, the Phalanges were defeated by the Druze and driven northward. Later it lost most of its positions in the coastal plain and South Lebanon to Druze and Shi`a militias. It lost influence outside the Christian-dominated region of Mount Lebanon. As a settlement, the government had to agree in 1984 to the formation of a national coalition government headed by his adversaries, and to accept a Syrian plan for constitutional reforms.
Allin Jumayyil`s government was weak and the military act independently, sometimes against government policy. In July 1984, the chairmanship was vacated by Pierre Jumayyil, who died soon afterwards. His designated successor, Elie Karame, was elected in September 1984, but was replaced in August 1986 by Georges Sa`adeh, long-time vice-chairman. In the military too, there were frequent upheavals. The veteran commander Fadi Fram was replaced in 1984 by Fu`ad Abu Nader. Samir Ja`ja` seized command in 1985, in rebellion against the political leadership, which he saw as yeilding to Syrian pressure. Ja`ja` clashed with Elie Hubeika, who had accepted a Syrian sponsored agreement with the Druze and Shi`i militias in December 1985.
The political Phalanges` leadership tried to mediate an end to the fighting. The Phalanges Lebanese Forces command remained in control of a Christian "canton" until late 1988, but it began to suffer a lack of cohesion. General Michel Awn tried to take control of the Maronite enclave and to end foreign contol. New fighting broke out amongst the communities and the Lebanese Forces in 1989. The Phalanges` leadership, under Georges Sa`adeh, was moderate and was in a position to participate in the Ta`if reconciliation conference in autumn 1989. Sa`adeh was a candidate in the Presidential elections in November 1989, but joined the new pro-Syrian government under Salim al-Huss.
In 1990 the Phalanges became a political party. Sa`adeh was re-elected as the party leader in June 1992.