Bachir Gemayel (10 November 1947–14 September 1982) was the President of Lebanon from 13 to 14 September 1982, succeeding Elias Sarkis and preceding Amine Gemayel. He belonged to a powerful Maronite Catholic dynasty and allied himself with Israel during the Lebanese Civil War, during which he was assassinated by the Syrian government.
Biography[]
Bachir Gemayel was born on 10 November 1947 in Achrafieh, Beirut, the capital of Lebanon. Gemayel was born to a Maronite Christian family and was the son of Pierre Gemayel, who created the Kataeb Party. Gemayel graduated from St. Joseph's University and became a politician, and joined the Kataeb Party. During the Lebanese Civil War, Gemayel became a leader of the Christian Phalangist militias during their struggles against the Muslims of the country, and he joined the South Lebanon Army. Allied to Israel, Gemayel fought against the Palestine Liberation Organization after 1976 and was elected as the president of Lebanon in 1982 - the office was only allowed to be occupied by a Maronite Christian as per the compromise that made up the country's government. However, he was angered by Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin when Begin asked him to sign a peace treaty with Israel upon becoming president - he believed that it was not right for Israel to replace Syria and the PLO in occupying Lebanon. He refused to sign a peace treaty, and began to distance himself from Israel. However, his enemies claimed that he was an Israeli puppet and he was killed in a bomb attack on a Phalangist meeting by Habib Shartouni, who was backed by the Syrian occupiers of Lebanon. His death drew worldwide condemnation, and a reporter stated that Shartouni had not killed a man, but a country.
Gallery[]
