By: Julia Weber

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Lebanon

• By Julia Weber

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Geographic Information

• Lebanon is a small country located in the Middle
  East on the eastern edge of the Mediterranean
  Sea.
• Its bordered by Syria in the North and East, and
  by Israel in the South.
• The capital is Beirut.

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Government

• Lebanon is a democratic republic and follows a
  political system known as confessionalism which
  attempts to distribute power as evenly as
  possible among the different religious sects.
• This type of government was put into place due to
  the sectarian diversity of Lebanon.

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Background Information

• Population 3,925,502
• Mountainous terrain
• Mediterranean climate
• 59 Muslim
• Economy thrives on tourism
• Large forests which contain the cedars of Lebanon
• Second highest literacy rate in the Middle East
  at 87.4
• Courses are taught in Arabic, French, and English

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• Lebanon received its independence from France in
  1943.
• The economy thrived due to tourism and
  agriculture.
• This changed in 1975 when the Lebanese Civil War
  started and the war didnt end until 1990.
• Since then, Lebanon has been trying to recuperate
  economically with the help of other Middle East
  countries such as Saudi Arabia.

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• However, this has been difficult because the
  radical Shiite Islamic organization, Hezbollah,
  has been launching attacks on Israel from
  southern Lebanon without consent from the
  government.

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Presidential Election

• Emile Lahoud will end his term as president on
  November 24.
• Parliament must elect a president before his term
  is up.
• 2/3 Quorum present
• Vote of a majority of the 128-seat Parliament
  plus 1
• Parliament speaker Nabih Berri is afraid that if
  the 2 sides (Anti-Syrian and opposition) cant
  come to an agreement then 2 different governments
  might emerge as a result.

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• Election date set for September 25.
• A few days before the election Antoine Ghanem, a
  Parliamentary official, was assassinated along
  with 7 others when a car bomb exploded in Beirut.
• He is the 8th prominent anti-Syrian figure that
  has assassinated since 2005.
• Many people think that Syria is behind the attack
  because they want to get rid of the anti-Syrian
  members in Parliament.
• The killing is believed to be related to the fact
  that the election is nearby.

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• 2/3 Parliament majority did not meet, therefore
  another consensus meeting will take place on
  October 23.
• Syria backs the members of Parliament that are on
  the opposition side, and the US is trying to help
  Lebanon in any way possible to make sure that
  they elect a president.
• Parliament has until November 24 to elect a
  president.
• Lebanon needs a president that will bring unity
  to the country.

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Nahr al-Bared Refugee Camp

• This refugee camp was set up in northern Lebanon
  to shelter displaced Palestinian families.
• In May, militants from al-Qaeda attacked the camp
  and Lebanese forces have been fighting them for 3
  months.
• In early September the Lebanese soldiers finally
  regained control of the camp.

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• A total of 155 Lebanese soldiers were killed.
• This was the worst violent act committed in
  Lebanon since the civil war in 1975.
• Lebanese police officials have arrested many of
  the al-Qaeda fighters which are believed to have
  come from Iraq.
• Since regaining control of the camp, Lebanon has
  been trying to get everything back under control.

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Sources

• MP Antoine Ghanem assassinated-
• http//www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_ID
  1article_ID85421categ_id2
• Berri schedules presidential vote for September
  25
• http//www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_ID
  1article_ID85081categ_id2
• Lebanon facts-
• https//www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world
  -factbook/print/le.html
• Lebanese troops continue to sweep Nahr Al-Bared
• http//www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_ID
  1article_ID85069categ_id1
• Militants routed as army finally regains control
  of refugee camp
• http//www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/middle
  _east/article2373645.ece