(Facts) Timeline of Lebanon's history

1920:
France divides Lebanon and Syria into separate colonial enclaves and forms the State of Greater Lebanon as one of several ethnic enclaves within Syria.

1926:
France declares the Lebanese Republic. The Republic becomes a separate entity from Syria but still is administered under the French Mandate for Syria.

1940:
Lebanon comes under Vichy French government control, General Henri Dentz, the Vichy High Commissioner for Syria and Lebanon, plays a major role in the future independence of the nation.

1941:
Turmoil in Europe sparks fears Germany will gain control of Syria and Lebanon, leading French and British troops to occupy Lebanon. After 20 years of French mandate, Lebanon's independence is declared in November, however full independence comes in stages.

Independence

1943:
-An unwritten National agreement is established laying the foundations of the state. The agreement confirms Lebanon as an independent Arab country with ties to the West.
-The National Assembly is established, Bechara El Khoury is named president, the arrangement works for about 20 years.

1957-1958:
-Lebanon plunges into political crisis caused by political and religious tensions in the country.
-Muslim factions rise in revolt against Maronite Christian President Kamil Chamoun, Lebanon's first civil war breaks out.
-Chamoun calls on U.S. President Eisenhower to send U.S. troops to reestablish the government's authority, "Operation Blue Bat" is launched on July 15.

1967-1968:
-The Six-day Arab Israeli War breaks out between Israel and Arab nations Egypt, Syria and Jordan. Lebanon has no active role in the war but is affected as Palestinian factions use Lebanon as a base for retaliation strikes against Israel.
-Israel raids Beirut airport in retaliation to a Palestinian strike.

1973:
Israel performs another raid on Beirut and kills three prominent Palestinian leaders associated with PLO Chairman Yasser Arafat. The Lebanese government
resigns the next day.

Civil war

1975:
Clashes between Christian and Palestinian Militia breaks out, widely considered the start of a lengthy civil war that devastated Lebanon.

1976:
-Fighting between Lebanese factions during March 1975 and November 1976 kills 40,000 Lebanese.
-Lebanon asks Syria to intervene to restore peace and curb the Palestinians, Syrian troops enter Lebanon.
-The Arab Summit hold meetings and arrange a ceasefire forming the Syrian Arab Deterrent Force (ADF) to maintain peace.

1978:
-Israel invades Lebanon and occupies land reaching as far north as the Litani River.
-The United Nations Security Council calls on Israel to withdraw from Lebanese territory and creates a 6,000-man peacekeeping force called UNIFIL to ensure it happens.
-Israel hands over their strongholds to Christian Lebanese militia instead of UNIFIL.

1982:
-A Palestinian assassination attempt on Israel's ambassador in London sparks Israel's second invasion and "Operation Peace for Galilee" is launched targeting the PLO based in Lebanon.
-Approximately 7,000 Palestinians flee Lebanon to other Arab nations
-President-elect Bashir Gemayel is assassinated at the headquarters of his Christian Phalangist Party.
-Christian militia massacre about 1,000 Palestinians in the Israeli-controlled area of Sabra and Shatlia refugee camps, prompting the return of a multi-national U.S., French and Italian peace keeping force.
-Amin Gemayel, Bashir's brother, is elected president.
-Lebanese factions struggle for power, plunging Lebanon into further chaos and instability
-Hezbollah (Party of God) is established mid-1980's


1983:
-A buffer zone is set up in south Lebanon; Israel and Lebanon sign an agreement on Israeli withdrawal.
-Suicide bombings kill 241 U.S. marines and 56 French soldiers; spring 1984 multinational troops withdraw.

1985:
-Majority of Israeli troops withdraw but some remain along the south of the border and engage in clashes with Palestinian groups.
-Israel supports the Christian South Lebanon Army financed and trained by Israel and led by Major General Antoine Lahd.

1986:
-Syria monitors a peacekeeping agreement in Beirut
-Clashes between Shiite and Druze militia in West Beirut breaks the agreement, Syrian troops mobilize to suppress militia resistance.

1989:
-The Taif Accord is signed in Saudi Arabia, establishing a more equitable political system, giving Muslims a greater voice in the political process and institutionalizing sectarian divisions in the government.

Taif Era

1991:
-Syria and Lebanon sign a treaty of Friendship, effectively giving Syria control over Lebanon's foreign relations.
-The Lebanese government, backed by Syria, regains control of the south and disbands various militia groups, ending the 16-year civil war which destroyed most of Lebanon's infrastructure.

1992:
-Hezbollah leader, Sheikh Abbas al-Musawi is killed by an Israeli attack on his motorcade.
-Secretary General of the Shiite Amal organization, Nabih Berri, becomes speaker of the National Assembly.
-A rich business man with Saudi Arabian citizenship, Rafiq Hariri, becomes prime minister, heading a cabinet of technocrats.

1993-1996:
-Israel launches "Operation Accountability" on Hezbollah, its deadliest attack on Lebanon since 1982.
-Israel launches "Operation Grapes of Wrath" bombing Hezbollah bases in south Lebanon.
-Israel attacks a U.N. base, resulting in the deaths of more than 100 Lebanese refugees.
-The United States negotiates a truce between Hezbollah and Israel under which Hezbollah agrees not to attack civilians in north Israel and Israel accepts Hezbollah's right to resist Israeli occupation in the south. Lebanon and Syria refuse to sign the agreement.

1999:
Israel bombs south Lebanon the deadliest attack since 1996.

Turn of the century

2000:
Israeli cabinet votes to withdraw Israeli troops from south Lebanon after 18 consecutive years of occupation.

2001-2002
-Syria withdraws nearly all of its 25,000 troops from Lebanon, 14,000 troops remain.
-Continued Israeli-Palestinian clashes, prompt Hezbollah to build up forces along the Lebanese-Israeli border.
-A key figure in the 1982 Palestinian massacres is murdered after releasing information about videotapes and documents that challenged Israel's account of the events.

2004:
-Syria insists pro-Syrian president Emile Lahoud is permitted to serve three more years, beyond the constitutional six-year limit, despite outrage the Lebanese parliament vote.
-U.N. Security council demands Syria remove its troops stationed in Lebanon for the past 28 years.
-Syria removes about 3,000 out of 14,000 troops as a result Rafiq Hariri resigns.

2005:
-Rafiq Hariri is assassinated and Syria is accused of involvement, sparking anti-Syria riots in Beirut calling for a full withdrawal of Syria from Lebanon.
-Anti-Syrian alliance wins control of parliament, led by Saad Hariri (Rafiq's son), Fouad Siniora is chosen as prime minister.
-Syria withdraws all of its troops ending its 29 year stance.

2006:
-Hezbollah fighters capture two Israeli soldiers
-Israel launches a deadly 33-day military attack on Lebanon on July 12 crippling major infrastructures; 1,200 Lebanese civilians and 160 Israeli soldiers are killed
-Israel's attack deeply divides the Lebanese government; Six ministers (Five Shiite and 1 Christian Orthodox) withdraw from the government, deeming it unconstitutional
-A Hezbollah-led opposition camp demands the government resigns calling for new general elections not based on the Taif agreement.
- The situation leads to a political stalemate, resulting in the current impasse over electing a president.