99-649: Opposition (54) [REDACTED] Member State of the Arab League [REDACTED] Lebanon portal The Lebanese Parliament ( Arabic : مجلس النواب , romanized : Majlis an-Nuwwab , lit. 'House of Representatives', French : Chambre des députés ) is the national parliament of the Republic of Lebanon . There are 128 members elected to a four-year term in multi-member constituencies , apportioned among Lebanon's diverse Christian and Muslim denominations but with half of
198-454: A Greek Orthodox practitioner. The Lebanese parliament has sixteen committees to facilitate the legislative process and provide oversight on specific areas of government policy. The Finance and Budget Committee is considered the most important, as it reviews the government's budget and spending plans. Other influential committees include Administration and Justice, Health and Labor, and Economy and Industry. List of committees: According to
297-724: A "just solution" for the Palestinian refugees . The Peace Initiative was again endorsed at 2007 in the Riyadh Summit. In July 2007, the Arab League sent a mission, consisting of the Jordanian and Egyptian foreign ministers, to Israel to promote the initiative. Following Venezuela 's move to expel Israeli diplomats amid the 2008–2009 Israel–Gaza conflict , Kuwaiti member of parliament Waleed Al-Tabtabaie proposed moving Arab League headquarters to Caracas , Venezuela . On 13 June 2010, Amr Mohammed Moussa, Secretary-General of
396-448: A 6:5 ratio, with various denominations of the two faiths allocated representation roughly proportional to their size. By the 1960s, Muslims had become openly dissatisfied with this system, aware that their own higher birthrate and the higher emigration rate among Christians had by this time almost certainly produced a Muslim majority, which the parliamentary distribution did not reflect. Christian politicians were unwilling to abolish or alter
495-605: A BBC interview in 2001, Hariri was asked by Tim Sebastian why he refused to hand over members of Hezbollah that were accused by America of being terrorists. He responded that Hezbollah were the ones protecting Lebanon against the Israeli occupation and called for implementation of passed United Nations resolutions against Israel. He was further accused of making the American coalition in the War on Terrorism worthless and asked if he
594-600: A change in government. At one point, Hariri was one of the world's 100 wealthiest men and the fourth-richest politician. Hariri was born on 1 November 1944 to a modest Sunni Muslim family in the Lebanese port city of Sidon . He had two siblings (brother Shafic and sister Bahia ). He attended elementary and secondary school in Sidon, and graduated in business administration from Beirut Arab University . In 1965, Hariri went to Saudi Arabia to work. There, he taught for
693-434: A huge role in reconstructing the Lebanese capital, Beirut . He was the first post-civil war prime minister and the most influential and wealthiest Lebanese politician until his assassination . During Hariri's first term as prime minister, tensions between Israel and Lebanon increased, as a result of Qana massacre . In 2000, when he became prime minister for second time, the biggest achievement during his time as prime minister
792-618: A peacekeeping force to deploy in South Lebanon, Darfur, Iraq, and other hot spots. At a 2015 summit in Egypt, member states agreed in principle to form a joint military force. The Arab League is rich in resources, such as enormous oil and natural gas resources in certain member states. Economic achievements initiated by the League amongst member states have been less impressive than those achieved by smaller Arab organisations such as
891-487: A present or past political leader or warlord. Few parties are based, in practice, on any particular ideology, although in theory most claim to be. No single party has ever won more than 12.5 percent of the total number of seats in the Parliament, and until 2005 no coalition ever won more than a third of the total. The general election held in 2005 , however, resulted in a clear majority (72 seats out of 128) being won by
990-453: A recent recruit of the anti-Syrian opposition, emboldened by popular anger and civic action now being called Lebanon's Cedar Revolution , alleged in the wake of the assassination that on 26 August 2004 Syrian President Bashar al-Assad threatened Hariri, saying "[President of Lebanon] Lahoud is me. ... If you and Chirac want me out of Lebanon, I will break Lebanon." He was quoted as saying "When I heard him telling us those words, I knew that it
1089-425: A relatively free hand in economic matters, Hariri cooperated with Syria's drive to consolidate its control over Lebanon. Under the guise of "regulating" the audiovisual media, the government placed control of all major television and radio stations in the hands of pro-Syrian elites, a process which began on 17 September 1996 when Information Minister Farid Makari ordered a ban on the broadcasting of news programs. This
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#17327652820351188-486: A remarkable success during his first year in office. From 1992 to 1993 there was a 6 percent increase in real national income, the capital base of commercial banks effectively doubled, the budgetary earnings hovered at around a billion dollars, and commercial banks' consolidated balance sheets increased about 25%. By 1998, however, real GDP growth was around 1%, a year later it would be −1%, national debt had skyrocketed 540% from two to eighteen billion dollars, Lebanon's economy
1287-613: A short period of time before shifting to the construction industry. In 1978, he gained Saudi Arabian citizenship , in addition to his Lebanese citizenship . In 1969, Hariri established Ciconest, a small subcontracting firm, which soon went out of business. He then went in business with the French construction firm Oger for the construction of a hotel in Ta’if , Saudi Arabia , the timely construction of which earned praise from King Khaled . Hariri took over Oger, forming Saudi Oger , which became
1386-470: A speech by its secretary general. On the other side, it was revealed by leaked US embassy cables that then Egyptian General Intelligence Directorate director Omar Suleiman reported that Syria "desperately" wanted to stop the investigation of the Tribunal. On 22 June 2005, Beirut International Airport was renamed Rafic Hariri International Airport . Additionally, Beirut General University hospital
1485-656: Is Egypt , with a population of over 100 million. The least populated is the Comoros , with approximately 850,000 inhabitants. The majority of the Arab League's citizens adhere to Islam , with Christianity being the second largest religion. At least 15 million Christians combined live in Egypt , Iraq , Jordan , Lebanon , Palestine , Sudan and Syria . In addition, there are smaller but significant numbers of Druze , Yazidis , Shabaks and Mandaeans . Numbers for nonreligious Arabs are generally not available, but research by
1584-660: Is divided into five parts when it comes to transport, with the Arabian Peninsula and the Near East being entirely connected by air, sea, roads and railways. Another part of the League is the Nile Valley , made up of Egypt and Sudan . These two member states have started to improve the River Nile's navigation system to improve accessibility and thus foster trading. A new railway system is also set to connect
1683-579: The 1958 Lebanon crisis . The League has served as a platform for the drafting and conclusion of many landmark documents promoting economic integration. One example is the Joint Arab Economic Action Charter , which outlines the principles for economic activities in the region. Each member state has one vote in the Council of the Arab League , and decisions are binding only for those states that have voted for them. The aims of
1782-584: The Arabs of Palestine the framers of the Pact were determined to include them within the League from its inauguration. This was done by means of an annex that declared: Even though Palestine was not able to control her own destiny, it was on the basis of the recognition of her independence that the Covenant of the League of Nations determined a system of government for her. Her existence and her independence among
1881-758: The Beirut Summit on 28 March 2002, the league adopted the Arab Peace Initiative , a Saudi-inspired peace plan for the Arab–Israeli conflict . The initiative offered full normalisation of the relations with Israel . In exchange, Israel was required to withdraw from all occupied territories , including the Golan Heights , to recognise Palestinian independence in the West Bank and Gaza Strip , with East Jerusalem as its capital, as well as
1980-654: The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). Among them is the Arab Gas Pipeline , that will transport Egyptian and Iraqi gas to Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, and Turkey. As of 2013, a significant difference in economic conditions exist between the developed oil states of Algeria , Qatar , Kuwait and the UAE , and developing countries like the Comoros , Djibouti , Mauritania , Somalia , Sudan and Yemen . The Arab League also includes great fertile lands in
2079-561: The League of Arab States ( Arabic : جامعة الدول العربية , Jāmiʿat ad-Duwal al-ʿArabiyya ), is a regional organization in the Arab world . The Arab League was formed in Cairo on 22 March 1945, initially with seven members: Egypt , Iraq , Transjordan , Lebanon , Saudi Arabia , Syria , and North Yemen . Currently, the League has 22 members . The League's main goal is to "draw closer
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#17327652820352178-467: The Lebanese Forces ’s Voice of Free Lebanon . It was estimated that the move would result in the loss of 5,000 jobs. Amid the political crisis brought on by the extension of President Émile Lahoud 's term, Hariri resigned as Prime Minister, saying: "I have... submitted the resignation of the government, and I have declared that I will not be a candidate to head the (next) government." During
2277-575: The Pew Forum suggests around 1% of people in the MENA region are "unaffiliated". The official language of the Arab League is Literary Arabic , based on Classical Arabic . However, several Arab League member states have other co-official or national languages, such as Somali , Afar , Comorian , French , English , Berber and Kurdish . In most countries, there is a dominant non- codified spoken Arabic dialect . The Pan-Arab Games are considered
2376-853: The Sahara . Nevertheless, it also contains several highly fertile lands like the Nile Valley , the Jubba Valley and Shebelle Valley in the Horn of Africa , the Atlas Mountains in the Maghreb , and the Fertile Crescent that stretches over Mesopotamia and the Levant . The area comprises deep forests in southern Arabia and parts of the world's longest river, the Nile . The Charter of
2475-611: The Shia Houthis and forces loyal to former President Ali Abdullah Saleh , who was deposed in the 2011 uprising . On 15 April 2018, in response to the Turkish invasion of northern Syria aimed at ousting U.S.-backed Syrian Kurds from the enclave of Afrin , the Arab League passed a resolution calling on Turkish forces to withdraw from Afrin. In September 2019, the Arab League condemned Benjamin Netanyahu 's plans to annex
2574-546: The Syrian National Coalition Syria's seat in the Arab League. On 9 March 2014, secretary general Nabil Elaraby stated that Syria's seat would remain vacant until the opposition completes the formation of its institutions. In 2021, the Arab League initiated a process of normalisation between Syria and other Arab nations. On 7 May 2023, at the meeting of the Council of the Arab League in Cairo, it
2673-589: The Taif Agreement are set out in the table below: Numerous political parties exist in Lebanon. Many parties are little more than ad hoc electoral lists, formed by negotiation among influential local figures representing the various confessional communities; these lists usually function only for the purpose of the election, and do not form identifiable groupings in the parliament subsequently. Other parties are personality-based, often comprising followers of
2772-654: The sovereignty of the individual member states. The internal regulations of the Council of the League and the committees were agreed in October 1951. Those of the Secretariat-General were agreed in May 1953. Since then, governance of the Arab League has been based on the duality of supra-national institutions and the sovereignty of the member states. Preservation of individual statehood derived its strengths from
2871-535: The Arab League , also known as the Pact of the League of Arab States, is the founding treaty of the Arab League. Adopted in 1945, it stipulates that "the League of Arab States shall be composed of the independent Arab States that have signed this Pact." In 1945, there were seven members, but the Arab League now has 22 members, including 8 African countries: and 7 observer states (note: the observer states below have been invited to participate during select Arab League sessions but do not hold voting privileges): Egypt
2970-590: The Arab League initiated the creation of an organisation representing the Palestinian people. The first Palestinian National Council convened in East Jerusalem on 29 May 1964. The Palestinian Liberation Organization was founded during this meeting on 2 June 1964. Palestine was shortly admitted in to the Arab League, represented by the PLO. Today, State of Palestine is a full member of the Arab League. At
3069-631: The Arab League is one of the Institutions of the Arab League . It was established under the terms of the Joint Defence and Economic Co-operation Treaty of 1950 to coordinate the joint defence of the Arab League member states . The Arab League as an organisation has no military Force, similar to the UN, but at the 2007 summit, the Leaders decided to reactivate their joint defence and establish
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3168-692: The Arab League reflects Arab leaders' individual concerns for regime survival: "the politics of Arab nationalism and a shared identity led Arab states to embrace the rhetoric of Arab unity in order to legitimize their regimes, and to fear Arab unity in practice because it would impose greater restrictions on their sovereignty." The Arab League was "specifically designed to fail at producing the kind of greater collaboration and integration that might have weakened political leaders at home." The Arab League member states cover over 13,000,000 km (5,000,000 sq mi) and straddles two continents: Africa and Asia . The area largely consists of arid deserts, such as
3267-448: The Arab League refused to condemn the UAE 's decision to normalize ties with Israel . Nevertheless, "The goal all our Arab countries seek, without exception, is to end the occupation and establish an independent Palestinian state on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital," Aboul Gheit said. In January 2024, the Arab League expressed support for South Africa's ICJ genocide case against Israel. The Joint Defence Council of
3366-562: The Arab League, visited the Gaza Strip , the first visit by an official of the Arab League since Hamas' armed takeover in 2007. The Arab League is a member of the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum (CASCF), which was formed in 2004. CASCF is the Arab League's earliest participation in a cooperation forum with another country or region. CASCF is the primarily multi-lateral coordination mechanism between
3465-579: The Arab states and China and within CASCF the Arab League represents its member states as a relatively unified force. The Arab League's coordination allows Arab states to negotiate actively for collective projects involving multiple states, such as railway projects, nuclear power projects, and Dead Sea initiatives. In 2015, the Arab League voiced support for Saudi Arabian-led military intervention in Yemen against
3564-637: The Arabian Peninsula by the Bab el Mandeb and this is quickly changing as Tarik bin Laden, the brother of Osama bin Laden , has initiated the construction of the ambitious Bridge of the Horns project, which ultimately aims to connect the Horn of Africa with the Arabian Peninsula via a massive bridge. The project is intended to facilitate and accelerate the already centuries-old trade and commerce between
3663-538: The Development and Reconstruction of Beirut's Central District (French: Société Libanaise pour le Développement et la Reconstruction du Centre-ville de Beyrouth ), more commonly known by the French-derived acronym "Solidere", expropriated most property in the central business district of Beirut, compensating each owner with shares in the company which were worth as little as 15% of the property's value. As
3762-469: The Economic and Social Council of its Council of Arab Economic Unity (CAEU), the League facilitates political, economic, cultural, scientific, and social programmes designed to promote the interests of the Arab world. It has served as a forum for the member states to coordinate policy, arrange studies of and committees as to matters of common concern, settle inter-state disputes and limit conflicts such as
3861-445: The Lebanese constitution and the electoral law of 2017, elections are held on a Sunday during the 60 days preceding the end of the sitting parliament's mandate. In June 2017 a new electoral law was passed. While in the previous system, the 128 members of parliament were elected from 26 multi-member constituencies under plurality block voting , and the candidates with the highest number of votes within each religious community were elected,
3960-463: The Lebanon war. Said to have heavily financed opposing militias during the war, his former deputy Najah Wakim later accused him of helping to destroy downtown Beirut to rebuild it again and make billions of dollars in the process. After the conflict, he acted as an envoy of the Saudi royal family to Lebanon. He laid the groundwork that led to the 1989 Taif Accord , which Saudi Arabia organised to bring
4059-718: The President (required to be a Maronite Christian) and the Prime Minister (a Sunni Muslim). The privileges of the Speaker are unusually powerful, relative to other democratic systems. The current speaker is the leader of the Amal Party, Nabih Berri . The Deputy Speaker of the Parliament of Lebanon is the second highest-ranking official of the Lebanese Parliament . The office is always attributed to
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4158-548: The Syrian army from Lebanon. In August 2010, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah presented evidence, consisting of intercepted Israeli spy-drone video footage, which he said implicated Israel in the assassination of Hariri. After an altercation between male Tribunal staff and women at a gynecology clinic in October 2010, Hezbollah demanded that the Lebanese government stop all cooperation with the Special Tribunal , claiming
4257-580: The Syrian government. The outcome of a 15-year investigation led to the guilty verdict of multiple people in Hezbollah's party taking part; however, the only one left alive would be Salim Ayyash , a well-connected, mid-level operative in Hezbollah. The assassination was a catalyst for dramatic political change in Lebanon. The massive protests of the Cedar Revolution helped achieve the withdrawal of Syrian troops and security forces from Lebanon and
4356-577: The accused Mustafa Badreddine were terminated in July 2016 following credible reports of his death. Salim Jamil Ayyash , Hassan Habib Merhi, Hussein Hassan Oneissi, and Assad Hassan Sabra currently remain on trial in absentia . Hezbollah accused Israel of the assassination of Hariri. According to Hezbollah officials, the assassination of Hariri was planned by the Mossad as a means of expelling
4455-619: The allegations against Jamil Al Sayyed and other three Lebanese generals. Four Lebanese generals were held in Roumieh prison, northeast of Beirut from 2005 to 2009. They were released from the prison due to lack of evidence in 2009. Following Hariri's death, there were several other bombings and assassinations against minor anti-Syrian figures. These included Samir Kassir , George Hawi , Gebran Tueni , Pierre Amine Gemayel , Antoine Ghanem and Walid Eido . Assassination attempts were made on Elias Murr , May Chidiac , and Samir Shehade (who
4554-415: The alliance led by Saad Hariri (son of murdered former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri ); half of these were held by Hariri's own Future Movement . The Speaker of the Parliament, who by custom must be a Shi'a Muslim, is now elected to a four-year term, and is the highest office in the parliament. Prior to the Taif Agreement , they were elected to a two-year term. They form part of a "troika", together with
4653-514: The assassin of Hariri was reportedly killed near al-Qusayr in the Homs region. He turned out to be a Hezbollah operative Hariri was well regarded among international leaders, for example, he was a close friend of French President Jacques Chirac . Chirac was one of the first foreign dignitaries to offer condolences to Hariri's widow in person at her home in Beirut. The Special Tribunal for Lebanon
4752-494: The assassination. Lawyers tasked with prosecuting those responsible for the 2005 bombing said they had received evidence linking Bashar Assad 's phone to the case. In its tenth report, the UNIIIC concluded "that a network of individuals acted in concert to carry out the assassination of Rafiq Hariri ." A Canadian Broadcasting Corporation news investigation claimed that the special UN investigation team had found evidence for
4851-823: The biggest Arab sporting event, which brings together athletes from all the Arab countries to participate in a variety of different sports. The Union of Arab Football Associations organises the Arab Cup (for national teams) and the Arab Club Champions Cup (for clubs). Arab sport federations also exist for several games, include basketball , volleyball , handball , table tennis , tennis , squash and swimming . Rafic Hariri Rafic Bahaa El Deen al-Hariri ( Arabic : رفيق بهاء الدين الحريري , romanized : Rafīq Bahāʾ ad-Dīn al-Ḥarīrī , Lebanese Arabic pronunciation: [raˈfiːʔ ɪlħaˈriːri] ; 1 November 1944 – 14 February 2005)
4950-586: The bombing, in a location near Mohammad Al-Amin Mosque . A 2006 report by Serge Brammertz indicated that DNA evidence collected from the crime scene suggests that the assassination might be the act of a young male suicide bomber . In its first two reports in 2014, the United Nations International Independent Investigation Commission indicated that the Syrian government may be linked to
5049-531: The decade-long plan was the privatization of major industries. Numerous contracts were awarded in important industries such as energy, telecommunications, electricity, airports and roads. The last and perhaps most significant aspect of "Horizon 2000" was economic stimulus via foreign direct investment. Specifically, Hariri supported foreign firms and individuals taking an interest in Lebanon's developmental potential. Hariri simplified tax codes and provided tax breaks to foreign investors. Due to his previous successes in
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#17327652820355148-404: The decision of the United Nations General Assembly. When Transjordan agreed to this proposal, Egypt intervened to prevent this from happening. It was followed by the creation of a mutual defence treaty two years later. A common market was established in 1965. The Arab League has not achieved much cooperation throughout its history. According to Michael Barnett and Etel Solingen , the design of
5247-402: The early 1980s as a wealthy man and began to build a name for himself by making large donations and contributions to various groups in Lebanon. However, he continued to serve as a political advisor to Prince Bandar bin Sultan in 1983. He was implanted as the Saudis' strong man following the collapse of the PLO and the paucity of any viable Sunni leadership in the country as well as a response to
5346-427: The eastern portion of the occupied West Bank known as the Jordan Valley . The Arab League met in Cairo on 12 October 2019 to discuss Turkish offensive into north-eastern Syria . Upon meeting, its member states voted to condemn the Turkish offensive, dubbing it both an 'invasion' and an 'aggression' against an Arab state, adding that the organization saw it as a violation of international law. On 9 September 2020,
5445-430: The end of the sitting parliament's mandate, with the next one due on a Sunday falling between 22 March 2026 and 22 May 2026. A unique feature of the Lebanese system is the principle of "confessional distribution": each religious community has an allotted number of deputies in the Parliament in a form of consociationalism . In elections held between 1932 and 1972 , seats were apportioned between Christians and Muslims in
5544-441: The establishment of a Joint Arab Force with the aim of counteracting extremism and other threats to the Arab States. The decision was reached while Operation Decisive Storm was intensifying in Yemen. Participation in the project is voluntary, and the army intervenes only at the request of one of the member states. Heightened military arsenal in many member states and, in a small minority, civil wars as well as terrorist movements were
5643-503: The future movement, and Houssam—who died in a traffic accident in the US in the late 1980s. They divorced. He married his second spouse, Nazik Audi , in 1976 and she is the mother of three of Hariri's children: Ayman , Fahd and Hind . From 1982 until his death, Hariri owned 2–8a Rutland Gate , a large house in London's Knightsbridge district. The house was gifted to the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia , Sultan bin Abdulaziz , after Hariri's assassination. On 14 February 2005, Hariri
5742-420: The government, Hariri allowed kickbacks from public spending to enrich all major government figures. Contracts for the import of petroleum were awarded to the two sons of President Elias Hrawi . Hariri married twice. He had six children. In 1965, he married an Iraqi woman, Nidal Bustani, who is the mother of his three sons; Bahaa (born 1967), who is a businessman, Saad , who succeeded his father as leader of
5841-406: The impetuses for JAF's establishment. In the early 1970s, the Economic Council put forward a proposal to create the Joint Arab Chambers of Commerce across international states. That led to the setting up of mandates to promote, encourage and facilitate bilateral trade between the Arab world and significant trading partners. Following adoption of the Alexandria Protocol in 1944, the Arab League
5940-483: The largest ethnic group in the Arab League, there are several other ethnic groups that also reside in the region, including Berbers , Kurds , Somalis , Assyrians , Armenians , Nubians , Mandaeans , and Circassians . Each of these groups have their own distinct cultures, languages, and traditions. As of 1 July 2013, about 359 million people live in the states of the Arab League. Its population grows faster than in most other global regions. The most populous member state
6039-424: The league in 1945 were to strengthen and coordinate the political, cultural, economic and social programs of its members and to mediate disputes among them or between them and third parties. Furthermore, the signing of an agreement on Joint Defence and Economic Cooperation on 13 April 1950 committed the signatories to coordination of military defence measures. In March 2015, the Arab League General Secretary announced
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#17327652820356138-477: The league's history, other smaller Arab Organizations have achieved more than the league has, such as the GCC , but lately several major economic projects that are promising are to be completed, the Arab Gas Pipeline is to end by 2010, Connecting Egyptian and Iraqi Gas to Jordan, Syria and Lebanon, and then to Turkey thus Europe, a free trade Agreement ( GAFTA ) is to be completed by 1 January 2008, making 95% of all Arab products tax free of customs. The Arab League
6237-479: The main construction firm used by the Saudi Royal family for all their important developments. As a result, a few years after his first contract with King Khaled, Hariri had become a multi-billionaire. Having accumulated his wealth, Hariri started a number of philanthropic projects, including the building of educational facilities in Lebanon. His first initiative in Lebanon was the Islamic Association for Culture and Education, which he founded in 1979. The association
6336-421: The nations can, therefore, no more be questioned de jure than the independence of any of the other Arab States. [...] Therefore, the States signatory to the Pact of the Arab League consider that in view of Palestine's special circumstances, the Council of the League should designate an Arab delegate from Palestine to participate in its work until this country enjoys actual independence At the Cairo Summit of 1964,
6435-429: The natural preference of ruling elites to maintain their power and independence in decision making. Moreover, the fear of the richer that the poorer may share their wealth in the name of Arab nationalism , the feuds among Arab rulers , and the influence of external powers that might oppose Arab unity can be seen as obstacles towards a deeper integration of the league. Mindful of their previous announcements in support of
6534-443: The new electoral law instituted proportional representation in 15 multi-member constituencies while still maintaining the confessional distribution. However, the 7 out of the 15 of the electoral districts are divided into 2 or more 'minor districts' (largely corresponding to the smaller electoral districts from the old electoral law). Where applicable, preference vote is counted on the 'minor district' level. The Parliament building
6633-401: The outbreak of the First Libyan Civil War . The Arab League voted to restore Libya's membership on 27 August 2011 by accrediting a representative of the National Transitional Council , which was the partially recognised interim government of the country. Syria was suspended on 16 November 2011 in the aftermath of the outbreak of the Syrian Civil War . On 6 March 2013, the Arab League gave
6732-504: The primary shareholder of the company, Hariri and his business associates profited immensely from this project. Moreover, it was reported in November 1996 that $ 26 million had been embezzled from the Ministry of Finance, which Hariri headed in addition to being prime minister during his first two terms in office. Hariri and his protégés were not the only beneficiaries of this spending spree. To secure support from militia chieftains and pro-Syrian ideologues that Damascus had installed in
6831-421: The private sector and the numerous resulting international connections, Hariri was able to garner a significant amount of low-interest loans from foreign investors. Hariri also pursued aggressive macroeconomic policy such as maintaining strict regulations on bank reserves and inter-bank interest rates to curb inflation and raise the value of the Lebanese pound relative to the dollar. Hariri's economic policies were
6930-418: The relations between member states and co-ordinate collaboration between them, to safeguard their independence and sovereignty, and to consider in a general way the affairs and interests of the Arab countries". The organization has received a relatively low level of cooperation throughout its history. Through institutions, notably the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALECSO) and
7029-456: The responsibility of Unit 121 of Hezbollah in the assassination. A UN-backed tribunal issued four arrest warrants to members of Hezbollah . Hezbollah blamed the assassination on Israel. Alleged Hezbollah supporters Salim Jamil Ayyash, Hassan Habib Merhi, Hussein Hassan Oneissi, and Assad Hassan Sabra have been indicted for the assassination and were tried in absentia by the Special Tribunal for Lebanon . In 2024, Salim Jamil Ayyash,
7128-455: The rising power of the Shiite militia Amal. As a former Saudi diplomatic representative, he played a significant role in constructing the 1990 Taif Agreement that ended Lebanon's sixteen-year civil war. In 1992, Hariri became the first post-civil war prime minister of Lebanon under president Elias Hrawi . In addition, he was the minister of finance . After the 1996 elections he also took on
7227-490: The role of minister of post and telecommunications . Hariri put the country back on the financial map through the issuing of Eurobonds and won plaudits from the World Bank for his plan to borrow reconstruction money as the country's debt grew to become the largest per capita in the world.Between 1992 and 1996 the public debt grew from $ 3 billion to $ 9 billion. His first premiership lasted until 1998, and Hariri
7326-664: The seats reserved for Christians and half for Muslims per Constitutional Article 24. Lebanon has universal adult suffrage . The parliament's major functions are to elect the President of the republic, to approve the government (although appointed by the President, the Prime Minister , along with the Cabinet, must retain the confidence of a majority in the Parliament), and to approve laws and expenditure. The Parliament
7425-550: The southern Egyptian city of Abu Simbel with the northern Sudanese city of Wadi Halfa and then to Khartoum and Port Sudan . The third division of the League is the Maghreb , where a 3,000 km stretch of railway runs from the southern cities of Morocco to Tripoli in Western Libya . The fourth division of the League is the Horn of Africa , whose member states include Djibouti and Somalia . These two Arab League states are separated by only ten nautical miles from
7524-533: The southern part of Sudan . It is referred to as the food basket of the Arab World , the region's instability including the independence of South Sudan has not affected its tourism industry, that is considered the fastest growing industry in the region, with Egypt , UAE , Lebanon , Tunisia , and Jordan leading the way. Another industry that is growing steadily in the Arab League is telecommunications. Economical achievements within members have been low in
7623-593: The system, however, and it was one of the factors in the 1975–1990 civil war . The Taif Agreement of 1989, which ended the civil war, reapportioned the Parliament to provide for equal representation of Christians and Muslims, with each electing 64 of the 128 deputies. Although distributed confessionally, all members, regardless of their religious faith, are elected by universal suffrage, forcing politicians to seek support from outside of their own religious communities, unless their co-religionists overwhelmingly dominate their particular constituency. The changes stipulated by
7722-511: The tribunal to be an infringement on Lebanese sovereignty by western governments. On 1 November 2010, a report was leaked by Al Akhbar , a local secular, leftist newspaper, stating that Hezbollah drafted plans for a quick takeover of the country in the case an indictment against its members is issued by the UN Special Tribunal . The report states that Hezbollah conducted a simulation of the plan on 28 October, immediately following
7821-791: The two regions. The last division of the League is the isolated archipelago of the Comoros located off the coast of East Africa , which is not physically connected to any other Arab state, but still trades with other Arab League members. In collecting literacy data, many countries estimate the number of literate people based on self-reported data. Some use educational attainment data as a proxy, but measures of school attendance or grade completion may differ. Because definitions and data collection methods vary across countries, literacy estimates should be used with caution. United Nations Development Programme , Human Development Report 2010. The Persian Gulf region has had an oil boom , enabling more schools and universities to be set up. While Arabs constitute
7920-564: The warring factions together. Taif put an end to the civil war , building goodwill for Hariri politically. While acting as the Saudi envoy to Lebanon, he spent more time in Damascus than in Beirut where he ingratiated himself with the Assad regime ; he had a new presidential palace built in Damascus as a gift to the Syrian dictator but Assad didn't use it personally. Hariri returned to Lebanon in
8019-414: Was a Lebanese businessman and politician, who served as the Prime Minister of Lebanon from 1992 to 1998 and again from 2000 until he resigned on 20 October 2004 ( 2004-10-20 ) , before his assassination in 2005. Hariri headed five cabinets during his tenure. He was widely credited for his role in constructing the Taif Agreement that ended the 15-year Lebanese Civil War . He also played
8118-453: Was agreed to reinstate Syria's membership. The Arab League is a political organization which tries to help integrate its members economically, and solve conflicts involving member states without asking for foreign assistance. It possesses elements of a state representative parliament while foreign affairs are often conducted under UN supervision. The Charter of the Arab League endorsed the principle of an Arab nation-state while respecting
8217-492: Was also created at his instigation. Syria was initially accused of the assassination, which led to the withdrawal of Syrian troops from Lebanon following widespread protests. Major General Jamil Al Sayyed , then head of Lebanese General Security, Brigadier General Mustafa Hamdan , Major General Ali Hajj and Brigadier General Raymond Azar were all arrested in August 2005 at the request of German prosecutor Detlev Mehlis , who
8316-469: Was carrying out the UN investigation about the assassination. Sayyed was one of the persons who decided to assassinate Rafik Hariri according to a leaked draft version of the Mehlis report along with other Syrian high-rank intelligence and security officers and officials, namely Assef Shawkat , Maher Assad , Hassan Khalil and Bahjat Suleyman . However, later reports about the assassination did not repeat
8415-1012: Was designed by Mardiros Altounian , who was also the architect of the Étoile clock tower . The building was completed in 1934 during the French Mandate period. Advised to build in the spirit of Lebanese tradition, the architect visited the Emirs' palaces in the Chouf Mountains . He also drew inspiration from the Oriental styles developed in Paris, Istanbul and Cairo at the turn of the 20th century. 33°53′48.39″N 35°30′13.69″E / 33.8967750°N 35.5038028°E / 33.8967750; 35.5038028 Arab League The Arab League ( Arabic : الجامعة العربية , al-Jāmiʿa al-ʻArabiyya , Arabic: [al.d͡ʒaː.mi.ʕa al.ʕa.ra.bij.ja] ), formally
8514-747: Was followed eight days later by a government decree ordering the closure of Lebanon's 150 privately owned radio stations and 50 TV stations. Licenses were to be issued to Hariri's Future Television , the Christian-owned Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation International (LBCI), Murr Television (MTV) owned by the brother of Interior Minister Michel Murr , and the National Broadcasting Network (NBN) being set up by Nabih Berri . The radio stations which were to be given licenses were Hariri's Orient Radio , Berri's NBN, and
8613-520: Was founded on 22 March 1945. The official headquarters of the League was the Boustan Palace in Cairo. It aimed to be a regional organisation of Arab states with a focus to developing the economy, resolving disputes and coordinating political aims. Other countries later joined the league. Each country was given one vote in the council. The first major action was joint intervention to keep Palestine from being divided into two states in keeping with
8712-477: Was his condemnation of death." This meeting between Hariri and Assad, which had been on 26 August 2004, lasted for just fifteen minutes. Hariri was accused of corruption that plagued Lebanon during the Syrian occupation . Among the allegations made against him was that his wealth grew from less than $ 1 billion when he was appointed prime minister in 1992, to over $ 16 billion when he died. The Company for
8811-548: Was in a miserable state. In 1996 it was estimated that 30% of Lebanon's population were living below the poverty line and that there were 500,000 Syrian labourers working illegally in the country. As result of the growing criticism and popular discontent with Hariri's policies, the government banned public demonstrations in 1994 and relied upon the Lebanese Army to enforce the decree. Supporters of Michel Aoun were also perpetually harassed and detained. In return for
8910-612: Was investigating Hariri's death). An indictment against alleged Hezbollah members Salim Jamil Ayyash, Mustafa Amine Badreddine , Hussein Hassan Oneissi, and Assad Hassan Sabra was issued and confirmed by the Pre-Trial Judge of the United Nations special tribunal (see Special Tribunal for Lebanon ) in 2011. In February 2014, the case against Hassan Habib Merhi was joined with the Ayyash et al. case. Proceedings against
9009-560: Was killed when explosives equivalent to around 1,800 kilograms (4,000 lb) of TNT concealed inside a parked Mitsubishi van were detonated as his motorcade drove near the St. George Hotel in Beirut. 23 people, including Hariri himself, were killed. Among the dead were several of Hariri's bodyguards and his friend and former Minister of the Economy Bassel Fleihan . Hariri was buried along with his bodyguards, who died in
9108-626: Was later renamed the Hariri Foundation. Hariri became progressively more embroiled in politics. His appeals to the United Nations and services as an emissary to the Saudi Royal family won him international recognition on the political stage for his humanitarian efforts. In 1982, Hariri donated $ 12 million to Lebanese victims of the 1978 South Lebanon conflict and helped clean up Beirut's streets with his company's money and contributed to early reconstruction efforts during lulls in
9207-461: Was most recently elected on 15 May 2022 . While terms are four years long, parliaments are able to extend the own terms: the parliament elected in June 2009 did so on three separate occasions, delaying the next election until May 2018 while a new electoral law was prepared. According to the Lebanese constitution and the electoral law of 2017, elections are held on a Sunday during the 60 days preceding
9306-527: Was owned by the government and private investors. Solidere was largely focused on redeveloping Beirut's downtown and turning it into a new urban center as quickly as possible as one aspect of the various infrastructure redevelopment plans that would be implemented by "Horizon 2000". Solidere was given powers of compulsory purchase , compensating in Solidere shares rather than cash, and was accused of harassment and underpaying former land owners. Another aspect of
9405-601: Was ready for the consequences of his refusal, reminding him that George W. Bush had said: "Either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists." He replied that he had hoped there would be no consequences, but would deal with them if they arrive. Hariri further said that he opposed the killing of all humans – Israeli, Palestinian, Syrian or Lebanese – and believed in dialogue as a solution. He further went on to say that Syria would have to stay in Lebanon for protection of Lebanon until they are no longer needed and Lebanon asks them to leave. Lebanese Druze leader Walid Jumblatt ,
9504-623: Was replaced by Salim Hoss as prime minister. In fact, as a result of the power struggle between Hariri and newly elected president Émile Lahoud , he left office. In October 2000, Hariri was again appointed prime minister, replacing Salim Hoss, and formed the cabinet. In September 2004, Hariri defended UN Security Council Resolution 1559 , which called for "all remaining foreign forces to withdraw from Lebanon." On 20 October 2004, his second term ended when he resigned from office. Omar Karami succeeded him as prime minister. Hariri implemented an aggressive new economic policy. In 1992 inflation
9603-475: Was running at 131% but such was the confidence in Hariri's leadership that within two years it had been reduced to 12%. Perhaps Hariri's most important creation in the beginning of his career was "Horizon 2000" the government's name for its new rejuvenation plan. A large component of "Horizon 2000" was Solidere , the privately owned construction company that was established to reconstruct post-war Lebanon. Solidere
9702-525: Was suspended from the Arab League on 26 March 1979 due to the Egypt–Israel peace treaty , with the League's headquarters moving from Cairo to Tunis , Tunisia. In 1987, Arab League states restored diplomatic relations with Egypt, the country was readmitted to the League in May 1989 and the League's headquarters were moved back to Cairo in September 1990. Libya was suspended on 22 February 2011, following
9801-406: Was the Israeli withdrawal from Southern Lebanon, ending an 18-year old occupation. Meanwhile relations with Syrian President Bashar increased. Hariri was assassinated on 14 February 2005 by a suicide truck bomb in Beirut. Four Hezbollah members were indicted for the assassination and are being tried in absentia by the Special Tribunal for Lebanon , but others have linked the assassination to
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