Commemorating the Taif Agreement, a significant event in Arab-Israeli conflict history.
The Taif Agreement: Bringing Lebanon Together Once More
The civil war that plagued Lebanon for over 15 years finally met its end, thanks to the Taif Agreement, signed on October 22, 1989, in the city of Taif, Saudi Arabia. This agreement aimed to set up a new political framework, allowing Lebanon to return to normalcy, reclaim its territory, and put an end to the constant bloodshed.
As the war approached its 15th anniversary, a regional effort to restore peace and stability took shape. A committee, led by the Speaker of the House, Hussein El-Husseini, and consisting of surviving members of Lebanon's 1972 parliament, gathered in Taif to discuss the terms of the peace deal.
Their primary focus was put towards ending the war and bringing about lasting peace by fostering reconciliation among Lebanon's diverse ethnic and religious groups. The agreement established a power-sharing system and marked the beginning of the withdrawal of Syrian and Israeli forces occupying the east and south of Lebanon.
The agreement was brokered by Saudi Arabia, but Syria, the United States, Egypt, Iran, and France played significant roles in its formation. It is commonly known as the Taif Agreement, named after the Saudi Arabian city where it was agreed upon. Signed on October 22, 1989, it was ratified by the Lebanese parliament two weeks later on November 5.
Key Components of the Agreement
The Taif Agreement contained two main objectives: reforming Lebanon's political system and disarming the numerous militias that had arisen during the war.
The agreement provided a framework for equal and fair representation of all Lebanese sects through a power-sharing arrangement. It eliminated the privileged status granted to Maronite Christians in French-mandated Lebanon, and restored the balance of power between the sects. The number of seats in the parliament (or Chamber of Deputies) was reduced to 128, with an equal division between Muslims and Christians, marking a shift from the 6:5 split in favor of the Maronites.
The agreement also significantly weakened the Maronite Christian president, leaving the state figurehead with only nominal authority. The Sunni Muslim prime minister, on the other hand, was elevated in terms of power and granted responsibility for the legislature. Moreover, the term of the Shia Muslim speaker of the parliament was extended from one to four years.
Under the military clauses of the agreement, all national and non-national militias, with the exception of Hezbollah, were ordered to disarm, placing pressure on the militias established during the war to dissolve. Hezbollah was the only sectarian organization to retain its military power after the civil war under the guise of being a "resistance force" against Israel in the south. Some claimed, such as Swedish academic Magnus Ranstorp, that Hezbollah managed to secure this exemption by holding Western hostages as bargaining chips.
Opinion: Deciphering the Lebanese conundrum
Immediately after the Taif Agreement was ratified, representatives gathered in northern Lebanon to elect the country's next president, René Moawad. Unfortunately, Moawad was assassinated only seventeen days into his presidency, on November 22, and was succeeded by Elias Hrawi.
In the months following the agreement, Lebanon began to settle into an uneasy peace. In 1991, parliament passed an amnesty law that pardoned all political crimes committed before its enactment in March of that year. Syrian troops, despite their occupation being viewed as unlawful, remained in the country until 2005, when they were ousted following the "Cedar Revolution" sparked by the assassination of post-war Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.
The Aftermath
The Taif Agreement, while succeeding in ending direct warfare, appeared less successful in terms of political reform. To this day, the political system established by the agreement, based on political and religious sectarianism, remains in place. The system, though the agreement itself aimed to abolish it, has perpetuated Lebanon's political turmoil and made the eventual abolition more difficult. The hope of a cohesive nation with a comprehensive and clear national identity may still seem like a distant dream.
The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of our website.
- The Taif Agreement, agreed upon in the city of Taif, Saudi Arabia, aimed to establish a new political framework for Lebanon, ending a 15-year-long civil war.
- The agreement was brokered by Saudi Arabia, with significant contributions from Syria, the United States, Egypt, Iran, and France.
- The agreement focused on ending the war and fostering reconciliation among Lebanon's diverse ethnic and religious groups.
- The Taif Agreement provided a framework for equal and fair representation of all Lebanese sects through a power-sharing arrangement.
- The agreement eliminated the privileged status granted to Maronite Christians, restoring the balance of power between the sects.
- The number of seats in the Lebanese parliament was reduced, with an equal division between Muslims and Christians, marking a shift from the 6:5 split in favor of the Maronites.
- The agreement significantly weakened the Maronite Christian president, elevating the power of the Sunni Muslim prime minister and extending the term of the Shia Muslim speaker of the parliament.
- Under the military clauses of the agreement, all national and non-national militias were ordered to disarm, except for Hezbollah, which retained its military power as a "resistance force" against Israel.
- Rules regarding Hezbollah's exemption have been debated, with some claiming Western hostages were used as bargaining chips.
- In the aftermath of the agreement, René Moawad was elected president, but he was assassinated seventeen days into his presidency.
- Lebanon settled into an uneasy peace, marked by the 1991 amnesty law that pardoned all political crimes committed before its enactment.
- Syrian troops remained in Lebanon until 2005, following the "Cedar Revolution" sparked by the assassination of Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.
- Despite leading to the end of direct warfare, the political system established by the Taif Agreement, based on political and religious sectarianism, has perpetuated Lebanon's political turmoil.
- The hope of a cohesive nation with a comprehensive and clear national identity may still seem like a distant dream, but the opinions expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of our website.
