Bashir Gemayel
...but his hometown was Bikfaya. Bashir was the youngest of six siblings and he was the son of Pierre Gemayel. His father was founder of the Lebanese Kataeb Party, also known as the Phalangist party, a conservative organization that was officially secular and supported mostly by Maronite Christians (Lebanese Forces: Bashir Gemayel).
Bashir was the designer behind a secret tie with Isreal. Underlying this tie was a major objective, as he had to help Lebanon of Palestine guerilla attacks. Bashir was also a compelling and strong leader. All alone, he provided the strength for the Phalange Party and brought it to the head of Lebanon’s political life. As a military leader and politician, he pursued his goal of becoming president. He used the Lebanese Forces to provide for basic public services in areas where the state services had disappeared, like: water, garbage collection, electricity, etc (Shapiro, pages 41 to 49). Bashir got popular because of his ability to inspire discipline in his organization and through the buildup of military might.
Throughout all the troubles Lebanon was facing, Bashir always thought about Lebanon’s future. Bashir’s dream was a parliamentary democracy with a strong executive branch to keep Lebanon safe from its enemies. He also called for a better educational system, honest judicial system, religious toleration for Muslims, balanced media, and organized a military (Rabinovich, 31)
Bashir became a Lebanese military commander and politician. In 1962, he joined his father’s student section of the Kataeb Party. In 1971, he was appointed inspector in the para-military branch of the Kataeb party, also known as the Kataeb Regular Forces. The same year he went to Dallas Texas to take another law qualification from the American and International Law Academy. He joined the bar association as he qualified...
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