Lebanon
Abstract
The United States and Lebanon continue to enjoy good relations. Prominent current issues between the two countries include progress toward a Lebanon-Israel peace treaty, U.S. aid to Lebanon, and Lebanon's capacity to stop Hezbollah militia attacks on Israel. The United States supports Lebanon's independence and favored the end of Israeli and Syrian occupation of parts of Lebanon. Israel withdrew from southern Lebanon on May 23, 2000, and Syria completed withdrawing its forces on April 26, 2005. Regional tensions increased in mid-2006, however, as clashes between Israel and Palestinian militants in the Gaza territory spread to Lebanon. In July, Hezbollah rocket attacks against Israel and capture of two Israeli soldiers prompted large-scale Israeli bombing of Hezbollah positions and Lebanese infrastructure. On August 11, the U.N. Security Council adopted Resolution 1701, which ended the fighting and created an expanded international peacekeeping force in Lebanon. Inter-factional tensions in Lebanon, however, have continued, and a leading Lebanese politician from the anti-Syrian bloc, Pierre Gemayel, was assassinated on November 21, 2006. Lebanon's government is based in part on a 1943 agreement that called for power-sharing among Christians, Sunnis, and Shi'ites. On August 21, 1990, at the end of a devastating 15-year civil war, Lebanon's National Assembly adopted the "Taif" reforms. Since the civil war, Lebanon has held elections for the National Assembly in 1992, 1996, 2000, and 2005. The assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri on February 14, 2005 sparked a political crisis, realignments in Lebanon's domestic politics, and withdrawal of Syrian troops from Lebanon. Since June 2005, an independent U.N. commission has been investigating the circumstances of Hariri's assassination. A U.N. proposal to establish a special tribunal to try suspects in the Hariri case has elicited strong opposition from pro-Syrian elements in Lebanon.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Nov 28, 2006
- Accession Number
- ADA472353
Entities
People
- Alfred B. Prados
Organizations
- Library of Congress