Bachir Gemayel
Bachir Pierre Gemayel (Arabic: بشير بيار الجميّل, pronounced [baˈʃiːr ʒɪˈmajjɪl]; 10 November 1947 – 14 September 1982) was a Lebanese militia commander who led the Lebanese Forces, the military wing of the Kataeb Party in the Lebanese Civil War and was elected President of Lebanon in 1982.
In this Lebanese name, the father's name is Pierre and the family name is Gemayel.
Bachir Gemayel
Office established
14 September 1982 (aged 34)
Achrafieh, Beirut, Lebanon
Amine Gemayel (brother)
Maya Gemayel (1978–1980)
Youmna Gemayel
Nadim Gemayel
He founded and later became the supreme commander of the Lebanese Forces, uniting major Christian militias by force under the slogan of "Uniting the Christian Rifle". Gemayel allied with Israel and his forces fought the Palestine Liberation Organization and the Syrian Army. He was elected president on 23 August 1982, but he was assassinated before taking office on 14 September, via a bomb explosion by Habib Shartouni, a member of the Syrian Social Nationalist Party.[1]
Gemayel is described as the most controversial figure in the history of Lebanon. He remains popular among Maronite Christians, where he is seen as a "martyr" and an "icon". Conversely, he has been criticized for committing alleged war crimes and accused of treason for his relations with Israel.[2][3]
Military command
Conflict with the PLO
In 1975, Gemayel was accused by the Lebanese National Movement (LNM) of being responsible for the Black Saturday massacre of Palestinians and Lebanese Muslims. According to Phalange member Karim Pakradouni, Gemayel admitted to him that while being in an emotional state over the killing of four Phalangists earlier that day, he ordered his militiamen into the streets.[6]
Legacy
Gemayel was believed to be an extreme option for the presidency. Muslims and leftist leaders preferred a moderate one, like his brother, Amine, or former president Chamoun. George Hawi revealed in a documentary with Al Jazeera: "Once he was elected, I was sure that he won't get to take over the presidency and he will be assassinated. Many sides were trying to kill him and I was one of them. I didn't succeed while someone else did. He was a solution in the wrong place and the wrong time".[30]
Deputy Nawaf al-Moussawi said in a parliamentary session that Gemayel had reached the presidency "on the back of an Israeli tank",[31] and Professor Christo El Morr compared him to Philippe Pétain.[32] Gemayel is criticized for the use of force against civilians and carrying out massacres against both Muslims and Christians, such as Karantina, Black Saturday and Ehden.[33] He is also accused of racism against Palestinians, Syrians and Arabs.[34] However, Gemayel is viewed positively among the majority of right-wing Christians. They consider him a patriot leader who fought for Christian rights and the autonomy of Lebanon.[35]
Personal life
Gemayel was married to Solange Gemayel with whom he had three children. His eldest daughter, Maya, was murdered on 23 February 1980 at 18 months of age by a car bomb intended for him.[36][37] His second daughter, Youmna, born in 1980, received her degree in political science in Paris. She was working towards her Masters in Management at ESA (École supérieure des affaires) in Beirut. Gemayel's son, Nadim, who was born a few months before Gemayel's assassination, was a law student and political activist, and was elected as a member of the Lebanese Parliament in 2009.