Bashir Gemayel was born on November 10th, 1947 in Bikfaiya, Lebanon, his family's ancestral home for over 400 years. He was the second and youngest son of Pierre Gemayel, founder of the Phalange Party (Kataeb) in Lebanon. Bashir graduated from St.Joseph University, Beirut, in 1971 with degrees in Law and Political Science. In 1975 he was admitted to the bar and became a Lawyer.

Having been a ranking member of the Phalange Party (Kataeb), he was appointed head of the Lebanese Forces on August 30, 1976. The Lebanese Forces being a coalition of of Christian militias of the Kataeb Party (Phalange), National Liberal Party, Tanzim, and the Guardians of the Cedars. The Lebanese Forces under the leadership of Bashir Gemayel not only offered protection to the Christian areas of Lebanon but also provided them services not given by the government, such as a public transportation system, water, electricity, sewage, road maintenance, garbage collection, social relief services, etc. Two general radio stations and a Classical Music radio station, a television station and a small airport also were given to the people.

Bashir married Solange Toutounji in 1977. His first child, 18 month old Maya, was murdered along with three bodyguards on February 23rd, 1980 in a car bomb explosion meant for Bashir. He has two surviving children, Youmna, born in 1980 and Nadim, born in 1982.

Bashir officially announced his candidacy for President of the Republic of Lebanon on July 24,1982. On August 23,1982 Bashir was elected President by a vote of 57to 5. During the next few weeks, he held countless planning secessions with Christian and Moslem leaders, drawing up plans for the new Lebanon he wanted reborn. He began rallying all of Lebanon around him as no other leader had been able to do since that country's independence in 1944. On September 14th, 1982 nine days before he was to be inaugurated, Bashir attended his usual discussion secession at the Phalange Party (Kataeb) office in Ashrafieh. The night before, members of the Syrian Nazi Party (Syrian Social- Nationalist Party or SS-NP) had placed a couple hundred pounds of powerful explosives on the second floor of the building which housed the Phalange Party offices on the first floor. The explosion was heard for miles around. Beneath the rubble of the yellow stucco building lay the body of the Savior of Lebanon.

Shortly thereafter Bashir's older brother Amin was made President of Lebanon but he lacked the leadership qualities and charisma of his younger brother and never could quite fill Bashir's shoes.

Did all hope for Lebanon die with Bashir's death? No, because his torch of hope and freedom is still being carried by the members of the Kataeb (Phalange Party) and the Lebanese Forces Party, who have made a solemn oath never to give up the struggle until Lebanon is united, free and independent.

What "InfoPlease" has to say about the Gemayel Family

Gemayel, Maronite Christian family active in Lebanese politics; leaders of the Phalange party (1937–82), and later the Phalange militia. Pierre Gemayel,. 1905–84, founded the right-wing Phalange movement in the early 1930s. In 1937 he became leader of the official Phalange party, representing Lebanon's large Maronite community. Pierre was elected to parliament in 1960 and was defeated twice (1964, 1970) when he ran for the presidency. He became head of the Phalange militia, which formed as a result of the civil war that erupted (1975) among the many religious and ethnic groups in Lebanon. Bashir Gemayel,. 1947–82, Pierre's younger son, was the militant leader of Phalange forces in the late 1970s, and he reinforced Maronite power. In 1980 he assumed control of the Phalange party. Under controversial circumstances, Bashir was elected in Sept., 1982, as Lebanon's next president; less than two weeks later he was assassinated. He was replaced by his older brother, Amin Gemayel,. 1942–, a lawyer, businessman, and member of the Lebanese parliament from 1970. Far less radical than the other members of his family and with no real authority, Amin provided weak leadership until his presidential term ended in 1988. With parliament deadlocked over his successor, Gemayel appointed Gen. Michel Aoun interim president, an act that led to two years of warfare and political instability.

And from the Lebanese Forces
(posted 16 Jan. 2005)

Sheikh Bashir Gemayel Biography
 

Bashir Gemayel was born in Beirut, on November 10, 1947. He was the youngest of a family of six children: four girls and two boys. His home-town was Bikfaiya in the caza of Metn. His father was Pierre Gemayel, founder and president of the Lebanese Kataeb party.

He completed his primary and intermediate studies at “Notre-Dame de Jamhour” and his secondary studies at the Lebanese Modern Institute.

In 1962, he joined the Kataeb party and became a member in the Kataeb Student Section

In 1968, he participated in a student colloquium organized by the newspaper Orient, following the events which occurred in the universities between the leftist students supporting Palestinians in Lebanon and Lebanese and nationalist students.

In 1970, Palestinian militants kidnapped him from Dekwaneh to the Tal el-Zaater camp and released him after 8 hours. This incident had an impact on his subsequent political positions.

In 1970, he paid a visit to Egypt in response to an invitation addressed to him by Khaled Abdul-Nasser, the son of President Jamal Abdul-Nasser, with whom he met, and he was impressed by his personality.

He received a degree in Law (1971) and a degree in Political Science (1973) from the Saint Joseph University in Beirut.

During the course of his university studies, he taught for three years (1968 - 1971) Civil Education at the intermediate and secondary levels in the Lebanese Modern Institute.

In 1971, he was appointed inspector in the Kataeb Regular Forces, which was the para-military branch of the Kataeb party.

He traveled the same year to Dallas, Texas to take a law course; he obtained in 1972 a degree from the American and International Law Academy.

He joined the bar association and opened an office in Hamra street, in West Beirut (1972-1975).

In 1973, he was appointed vice-president of the Kataeb Ashrafieh sector.

In 1974, he founded the “B.G.” squad, the core of the Lebanese Forces, which was formed by university students in order to face the Palestinian military danger, reflected at that time by armed barricades, kidnapping and attacks on citizens.

In 1976, he was appointed vice-president of the Kataeb Military Council, then, president of the Military Council following the death of William Hawi in the Tal el-Zaater battle.

During the same year, he met the Druze leader, Kamal Jumblatt, in order to unify the Lebanese ranks against the spread of the Syrian army in Lebanon.

During the same year, he formed the unified Lebanese Forces and headed its leadership council.

In 1977, he married Solange Toutoungi.

In 1978, the Syrian army arrested him in Sassine square and held him for a short period.

In the same year, his daughter Maya was born.

He led the “100 days war” against the Syrian forces which bombarded the two sectors of Achrafieh and Ain el-Remaneh.

In 1980, his daughter Maya was killed by a car bomb aimed at him.

His daughter Youmna was born later.

During the same year, he unified the military forces in the Eastern sector and put an end to the military confusion in this region,

He became a member in the Lebanese Front which represented at that time the highest political power in the Eastern sector.

In 1981, he led the battle of Zahleh, which was surrounded by the Syrian army in the Bekaa valley.

He paid his most important visit to the United States, to explain the Lebanese cause.

In 1982, he organized the first international conference of solidarity with Lebanon.

During the same year, his son Nadim was born.

He became a member in the “National Salvation Front”, which was founded by president Elias Sarkis, which included many Lebanese Christian and Moslem leaders.

* Before he was elected president of the Lebanese Republic, he traveled to Taef in Saudi Arabia where he met with the foreign ministers of the Arab countries.

The Lebanese parliament elected him president of the Lebanese Republic on August 23, 1982.

He was killed along with many of his companions in the explosion of the Kataeb headquarters in the Achrafieh sector on September 14, 1982.

Institutions founded by Bashir Gemayel

Al-Ashbal: its first camp was organized under the patronage of sheikh Bashir in Jbeil scout camping grounds (1975).

Popular Committees: launched by sheikh Bashir in 1976, their aim is the people’s participation in the organization of daily life.

Hamat Airport: created by sheikh Bashir in 1976 for special tourist trips and for the export of agricultural products....

Radio Free Lebanon : founded by sheikh Bashir in 1978 to explain to the world the reality of the Lebanese cause.

Radio 102: out of sheikh Bashir’s desire for a commercial station in order to alleviate the burden of the war (1979).

Delta Computer: founded in 1979 as a specialized information body related to all components of social organization.

Help Lebanon: founded to take care of children and alleviate the consequences of the war.

Lebanese Forces television (LBC) : launched in 1980 as a national, educational, cultural and non-commercial television.

Gamma Group: an institution including specialists to plan the building of a modern state in all of its sectors (1982).

The Lebanese Cultural Association: created in 1982 to deal with intellectual, literature and artistic affairs as well as Lebanese civilization.

Ashrafieh Merchants Committee: created in 1982 to revive the economy and trade and organize the market.

Ashrafieh Festival Committee: created in 1982 to organize fairs and exhibitions and to encourage artistic activities.

More on Bashir from the Lebanese Forces
(Posted 16 Jan. 2005)

Some people worshipped him; some disliked him. He was a leader to many; to others, he was an enemy to be eliminated. But above all, he was a man who carried a dream and who had conviction, strength and popular support to make that dream a reality. He had already begun weaving the threads of a new fabric for his country when his life was cut short by those who feared the changes he proposed. But his spirit lives on in those who knew and loved him.

Out of the wound in our bleeding hearts, out of the tears in our children's eyes, out of our strong attachment to our land, he emerged and struck  lightning in the sky giving us hope and a dream, a beautiful dream of a free 10452km² Lebanon. Free of all foreign occupation and brotherly presence. He gave us the dream of a strong unified Lebanon whereby all its different ethnic and religious groups could coexist in peace and harmony.

After the Cairo Agreement, the situation in Lebanon was steadily deteriorating, with continued violent outbreaks of fighting between the armed Palestinians and the Lebanese Army. Attacks by the armed Palestinians against Israeli targets across the Lebanese-Israeli border grew more numerous and deadly. After the Lebanese-PLO war broke on in April 1975, Bashir joined his fellow militia members of the Kataeb party in defending the Christian areas against the PLO attacks.
When William Hawi, Commander-in-Chief of the Kataeb Military Council was killed in the Lebanese Forces siege of the PLO stronghold in Tell Zaatar in July 1976, Bashir was chosen to succeed him. By August 30, he was appointed head of the unified command of the Lebanese Forces, a coalition of the Christian militias of the Kataeb Party, National Liberal Party, the Tanzim and the Guardians of the Cedars.

On July 7, 1980, these Christian militias were unified into one as the Lebanese Forces with Bashir Gemayel as their Commander-in-Chief. By January 1981, Gemayel also held positions as Chief of the Kataeb Security Council and member of the Kataeb Political Bureau.

As Commander-in-Chief, Bashir went on strengthening the military branch of the Lebanese Forces, instituting military training in schools of the Christian sector to build up reserves. He also gave the Lebanese Forces a broader political dimension and popular basis. He organized public services in the liberated areas (Eastern Region) to substitute for the lack of government provided services. These included a public transportation system; a popular committee to provide the daily needs of the population such as water, electricity, road maintenance, garbage collection, sewage, social relief services, etc.; two radio stations and a television station; and a small airport.

Under President Elias Sarkis, a Council of National Salvation was formed in June 1982 which grouped the major militia and political leaders in an effort to draw up measures to end the seven years of war which had shaken Lebanon. Gemayel participated on the short-lived Council as the representative of the Lebanese Forces.

As Commander-in-Chief of the Lebanese Forces, Bashir had many opportunities to meet foreign officials both abroad and in Lebanon to discuss his vision of Lebanon. Most notably of these were several trips he made to the United States, where he consulted with officials from the State Department, the White House, Senators and Congressmen; his visit to Saudi Arabia in July 1982 to consult with King Fahd; his meeting with European Christian Democrat Parliamentary groups; and his meetings with US, UN and Arab envoys who were working on finding solutions to the Lebanese crisis.

Bashir officially announced his candidacy for President of the Republic of Lebanon on July 24, 1982. On August 23, 1982, Gemayel was elected President of the Republic in a second ballot by a vote of 57 for with 5 abstentions.

During the next few weeks, he held countless planning sessions and intensive meetings with Christian and Moslem leaders, preparing plans for the rebirth of Lebanon. He began rallying l Lebanese people, Moslems and Christians alike, around him as no other leader in Lebanon had been able to do since independence.

Nine days before he was to be inaugurated President, Bashir attended his usual discussion session at the Kataeb office in Ashrafieh. A powerful explosion on the second floor ripped through the building, killing Bashir along with 26 others. The hero and hope of Lebanon was dead and all Lebanon mourned.

It was later discovered that two members of the National Syrian Socialist Party one of whom was related to the owners of the building in which the Ashrafieh Kataeb offices were located, were the instigators of the bombing and that Syria was behind the assassination.

Bashir was frank and direct in his dealings with people. His zeal for the Lebanese cause, an independent Lebanon free of all foreign occupation, inspired many. This goal took him around the world, meeting with Arab and Western leaders, in search for solutions and support. He was a bold man, charismatic, decisive. He maintained a clear political course, attracting young, dynamic and specialized individuals to the cause. He was forthright and realistic, a man who refused compromise or half-way solutions. He was open to dialogue and not afraid of criticism.

The Lebanese emigrants had a major role to play in supporting the Lebanese cause, Bashir believed. He instituted offices in many countries overseas, including the Unites States, France, Brazil, West Germany and Italy to keep those governments informed about the Lebanese communities there active in working for the liberation of their mother country, Lebanon.

Gemayel consistently worked for free, democratic, independent Lebanon, pluralist in nature and strong, secure state. He believed that Moslem and Christian can live together in peace and that Lebanon need to maintain good relations with the Western World as well as the Arab World. He advocated the withdrawal of Syrian forces occupying Lebanon since 1975, the withdrawal of Israeli forces occupying Lebanon since June 1982 and disarming of the Palestinians while on Lebanese soil.

When Bashir Gemayel announced his candidacy for the presidency, he went beyond confessional conflicts and personality quarrels. He pursued a very sublime goal to unite all the Lebanese, defend the country's sovereignty and champion a modern and democratic Lebanon. Exhausted by so many years of war and terror under foreign occupation, the Lebanese yearned for independence, freedom and peace. This could only build upon a country at peace with itself. For this purpose, Gemayel ordered the Lebanese Forces as they prepared to reenter their villages to refrain, under heavy penalty, from any wrong doing to their Lebanese brothers. He firmly warned against any breach of discipline.

"Those against whom you fought; those who demolished your houses, desecrated the tombs of our grandfathers... we must respect their dead without any feeling of vengeance. They destroyed our homes, but we shall protect their homes... We must secure freedom and protection for every Lebanese without discrimination."

(June 17, 1982)

In the Middle East, where tyranny, fanaticism, turmoil and intolerance exist, Lebanon was unique in his attempted to be the country of stability, liberty and tolerance--peaceful by vocation, democratic by tradition and liberal by civilization. Bashir Gemayel was seen as the man to restore this freedom and peace to his country. His candidacy was not only a bet on the future of Lebanon, but also on the interests of the Free World and above all the United States.

Bashir Gemayel's sole purpose from founding the Lebanese Forces was that he wanted an organization, a party that would always be ready, able and willing to stand in defense of Lebanon. He wanted it a strong political party and a strong military power whenever the Lebanese army failed to defend the country as was the case in 1975. The Lebanese Forces was created to make sure that what happened in 1975 never happens again and that the reasons, which lead to the starting of the war be resolved in a final and permanent way. 

The Lebanese Forces was needed and Bashir saw to that need. When the Lebanese army unwillingly was divided there was a strong need for someone to protect the true and free Lebanese from Palestinian fighters who sought their Palestine through our Lebanon.

The Lebanese Forces and its allies resisted and liberated all of what was once known as the liberated areas where no foreign armies existed and where the Lebanese government and institutions were working freely and where the Lebanese Army had a presence. 

The Lebanese Forces fought everywhere on the Lebanese soil trying to resist both foreign and local threats to Lebanon and its independence, in many cases our resistance was successful and we liberated our land due to the fact that the people of certain areas backed us and stood behind us and supported us and unfortunately we were not successful in others due to the fact that many local threats were a knife in our back working with the invaders against their fellow Lebanese.

In the summer of 1978 Bashir Gemayel and the Lebanese Forces launched the war that was later known as the one hundred days war which ended in a great big victory for the Lebanese Forces commanded by Bashir. Syrian and Palestinian forces were taken out of East Beirut and from then onwards it began.

Bashir resisted the Syrians and Palestinians anywhere they existed and anywhere he could attack them starting from the north, passing through Beirut all the way to the south and the mountain.

Bashir Gemayel gave his life for his dream and ours, he gave his daughter's life and set the example. He paved the way and believed in us to accomplish the mission.

10 Nov 2005