Lebanon rushes toward civil war

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Source: Ynetnews
November 22, 2006

Unknown assailants assassinated a prominent Christian leader and cabinet minister in Lebanon Tuesday, bringing the nation one step closer to civil war.

Pierre Gemayel was head of the Christian Phalange Party, and served as industry minister in the current government. He was a staunch opponent of Syrian influence in Lebanon, and Lebanon's Christians, who have supported the Gemayel family for decades, immediately accused Damascus of orchestrating his murder.

Tensions between Lebanon's Sunni Muslim and Christian populations on the one hand, and its Shi'ite and minority pro-Syria Christians on the other have been escalating ever since the Shi'ite Hizb'allah terrorist organization provoked a brutal 34-day war with Israel during the summer.

Many predict Gemayel's killing could be the final step in a violent march toward civil war that started with last year's assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.

The primary benefactor of a civil war in Lebanon would be Syria, which would then claim that Lebanon's stability depends on Syrian occupation. Syria was forced by the international community and Lebanese opponents to end its decades-old control over the country following Hariri's murder.

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