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In this second part about the Lebanese-Palestinian agreement signed in Cairo on November 3, 1969, we delve into the timing of this arrangement and its underlying motives.
The Cairo Agreement, signed on November 3, 1969, granted the presence of armed Palestinian resistance in Lebanon.
An analysis of the regional situation at that time is essential to contextualize the signing of this agreement.
It would be relevant to mention that in 1967, the State of Israel felt threatened, especially by the rise of Nasser’s Egypt and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), which was founded in 1964. After the nationalization of the Suez Canal, declared in 1956 by the Egyptian leader Gamal Abdel Nasser, and the propaganda he conducted, promising to “throw all the Jews into the sea,” an Arab coalition was formed, including Egypt, Syria, and Jordan. Confronted by Arab troops stationed at its borders, Israel launched a preemptive attack.
During the Six-Day War (June 5 to June 10, 1967), the Israeli Army neutralized the Egyptian and Syrian forces, destroying them on the ground within an hour. Subsequently, Israel fought on multiple fronts against Egyptian, Jordanian, and Syrian troops. In the aftermath, Israel engaged in battles on numerous fronts against Egyptian, Jordanian, and Syrian troops. Subsequently, Israel took control of the West Bank (administered by Jordan), the Gaza Strip (administered by Egypt), the Sinai Peninsula, the Syrian Golan Heights, and East Jerusalem.
The end result of this pivotal moment in the history of the Middle East translates into an epochal victory for Israel, which, for the first time since 1948 (proclamation of the independence of the Hebrew state), secured control of all of Jerusalem. On the other hand, it was a crushing defeat for the Arabs, dealing a fatal blow to Arab nationalism.
In this new context, the Palestinian resistance underwent restructuring to establish itself as an autonomous force. With the collaboration of political Sunni factions within the Lebanese government and the support of leftist parties, the 1969 Cairo Agreement established the Lebanese territory as a legitimate base for military operations by the PLO, predominantly led by the Fatah group.
Meanwhile, bolstered by its newfound strength, the Palestinian organization established its main base in Amman, the capital of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. As his authority started being undermined and he faced threats to both the security of his kingdom and his personal safety, King Hussein decided to firmly quell the Palestinian resistance.
On September 17, 1970, he ordered the Jordanian army to carry out a brutal operation known as “Black September” against Palestinian refugee camps on Jordanian soil. Within a year, the fedayeen were entirely eliminated from Jordan. Subsequently, the PLO retreated to Lebanon, where it had more latitude for both political and military activities.
This margin of freedom granted to the PLO became a contentious issue among different Lebanese factions. Christian parties felt the growing need to defend themselves against the expanding Palestinian presence in Lebanon.
From the Civil War to the Israeli Invasion
The influx of Palestinian refugees into Lebanon led to social and demographic imbalances, along with an increased armed presence through the PLO.
The Kataeb Party, founded by Pierre Gemayel, as well as other Lebanese parties, got organized and established their own militias to counter Palestinian guerrillas.
The year was 1975. The country was shaken by several security events, and tensions have been ongoing for months.
In the midst of this escalating conflict, a bus carrying armed Palestinians passed through Ain el-Remmaneh, a suburb of Beirut. A shootout ensued, resulting in the deaths of around ten Palestinians. This event marked the beginning of the Lebanese Civil War.
Multiple cycles of violence kept unfolding over several years, interspersed with periods of relative calm.
The upheaval taking place in Lebanon was an opportunity for the Israeli government to eliminate the Palestinian fighters who were persistently shelling northern Israel from southern Lebanon.
On June 6, 1982, 60,000 Israeli soldiers crossed the Lebanese border. In an operation named “Peace for Galilee,” led by General Ariel Sharon, then Minister of Defense, the Israeli Army moved through the towns of southern Lebanon and quickly reached the gates of the capital. Their objective was to remove the PLO from the Palestinian camps located in West Beirut.
The PLO and its fighters were forced to withdraw from Lebanon, relocating to Tunis on August 30, 1982, with their leaders, including Yasser Arafat.
The Lebanese Parliament had to wait until May 21, 1987, to revoke the agreement made in Cairo on November 3, 1969, which had lost all its meaning.
