Democratic Palestine : 3 (ص 41)

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Democratic Palestine : 3 (ص 41)

المحتوى

by a foreign aid agency in 1977, indi-
cated that Moslems compose 56% of
the population, Christians 44%.) On this
point of protecting the Maronites’ supre-
macy, Suleiman Franjieh defected from
the National Salvation Front and joined
the position of his old Lebanese Front
allies.
As aresult of this impasse, the con-
ference deferred the reform issue which
it had been convened to discuss. The
six-point final statement reflected agree-
ment on forming a commission to lay
down a new constitutional proposal for
the future of Lebanon, consisting of 32
members chosen by the President in
consultation with the members of the
conference; the proposal is to be pre-
sented within six months. The other con-
tent of this statement concerned the
ceasefire and security plan. Here the
nationalist forces gained a victory on
one point: the army should return to the
barracks, leaving the Internal Security
Forces responsible for domestic sec-
urity.
The old school politicians and
the radicalized masses
After almost a decade of civil war,
the fascist leadership knows that the
1943 pact is no longer viable. At that
time, the Maronite bourgeoisie secured
its supremacy through a deal with the
Sunni bourgeoisie, at the expense of the
Shiite majority. Today, the latter com-
munity has asserted itself via Amal’s
confrontation of the Lebanese Army,
and the southern masses’ uprising
against the Zionist occupation. The fas-
cist Maronite leaders had hoped to strike
a deal with traditional Shiite leaders in
seeking a new formula for preserving
their power, but the reality of mass
radicalization precludes such a deal. On
the contrary, Kamal Assad, the speaker
of the parliament, with whom the fascists
prefer to deal, has been marginalized.
Nabih Berri, who speaks for the dispos-
sessed masses who have actually faced
the Lebanese Army and Zionist occupa-
tion, has become the dominant voice of
the Shiite community. Thus, Abdel
Osseiran, who was previously amena-
ble to compromise with Amin Gemayel’s
regime, moved closer to Berri’s posi-
tions so as not to loose touch with his
constituency. Also Saab Salem has his-
torically sought a modus vivendi withthe p»
THE CONFEREES -
Amin Gemayel : Maronite; President of jm
Lebanon; Politbureau member of the |
Phalangist Party.
Pierre Gemayel : Maronite; leader of the
Phalangist Party, the main component
of the Lebanese Front and the Lebanese
Forces militias.
Camille Chamoun : Maronite; President
of the National Liberal Party and the
Lebanese Front; President of Lebanon
during the 1958 civil war, when he called
in the Marines
Suleiman Franjieh : Maronite; President
of Lebanon in the 1975-76 civil war;
member of the Lebanese Front until
1978; entered the conference as a lead-
ing member of the National Salvation
Front.
WHO’S WHO
wm Rashed Karami
Walid Jumblatt : Druze; head of the
Progressive Socialist Party and leading
member of the National Salvation Front.
Nabih Berri : Shiite; leader of the Amal
movement.
Abdel Osseiran : Shiite; former speaker
of the Lebanese parliament.
Saab Salam : Sunni; leading member of
the Islamic Grouping; former Prime
Minister. .
Sunni; leading
a =) member of the National Salvation Front;
~ former Prime Minister.
Sa
)
—
41

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Democratic Palestine : 3

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