Doha Agreement (2008)

Last updated

The Doha Agreement was reached by rival Lebanese factions on 21 May 2008 in Doha, Qatar to end an 18-month-long political crisis. [1]

Contents

After battles broke out in Lebanon because of the ongoing political crisis, Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, the ruling Emir of Qatar from 1995 to 2013, invited all Lebanese political parties to Qatar's capital of Doha to seek an end to the conflict and avoid possible all-out civil war.

Before the Doha Agreement

Lebanon's ongoing political crisis suddenly exploded when the government made the decisions to remove Hezbollah's telecommunications network and dismiss the Rafik Hariri International Airport's head of security after finding out about a Hezbollah surveillance camera monitoring the western runway number 17, which is used primarily for executive jets. [2] In response to these decisions, mushrooming riots swept across Beirut resulting in heavy clashes between Hezbollah and the majority. Afterward, Hezbollah forces invaded and took control of western majority Sunni Beirut. It was the first time since the Lebanese Civil War (1975-1990) that weapons were used by Hezbollah on an internal front. Battles moved to several areas in the country, including Mount Lebanon and the North, and 300 people are estimated to have died in the conflict. The Arab council quickly acted to stop the violence. Based on the Arab initiative regarding containment of the Lebanese crisis, and in pursuance of the agreement reached among the Lebanese parties in Beirut on 15 May 2008 under the aegis of the Arab Ministerial Committee, an agreement was reached.

Lebanese national dialogue

The Lebanese National Dialogue Conference was held in Doha between 16 May and 21 May 2008, with the participation of the Lebanese political leaders who are members of the National Dialogue Conference and who have asserted their commitment to saving Lebanon and ending the current political crisis and its dangerous consequences for the coexistence formula and civil peace among the Lebanese, as well as their commitment to the principles enshrined by the Lebanese constitution and the Taif Agreement; and as a result of this Conference, as well as of the bilateral and collective meetings and consultations between the president and members of the Arab Ministerial Committee and all parties that took part in this Conference the parties were able to reach an agreement.

Provisions

First: The parties have agreed on having the Lebanese parliament speaker, based on the rules in effect, invite the parliament to convene within 24 hours to elect consensus candidate General Michel Suleiman, knowing that this is the best constitutional method to elect the president under these exceptional circumstances.

Second: forming a national unity government composed of 30 ministers distributed among the majority (16 ministers), the opposition (11 ministers) and the president (3 ministers), and by virtue of this agreement, all parties commit not to resign or obstruct the government's actions.

Third: adopting the kaza as an electoral constituency in conformity with the 1960 law, whereby the districts of Marjayoun-Hasbaya, Baalbek-Hermel and West Bekaa-Rashaya remain as a single electoral constituency each.

As for Beirut, it was divided in the following manner:

The first district: Achrafieh – Rmeil – Saifi The second district: Bachoura – Medawar – the Port The third district: Minet al-Hosn – Ain al-Mreisseh – Al-Mazraa – Mousseitbeh – Ras Beirut – Zoqaq al-Blat

Agreeing on referring the reform clauses mentioned in the draft law prepared by the National Commission on Electoral Law Reform, which was headed by Minister Fouad Boutros, to the parliament in order to examine and discuss them in accordance with the rules in effect.

Fourth: Pursuant to the above-mentioned Beirut Agreement, especially Paragraphs 4 and 5, which stated the following:

Paragraph 4: The parties commit to abstain from having recourse or resuming the use of weapons and violence in order to record political gains.

Paragraph 5: Initiate a dialogue on promoting the Lebanese state's authority over all Lebanese territory and their relationship with the various groups on the Lebanese stage in order to ensure the state's and the citizens’ security.

Hence, the dialogue was initiated in Doha on promoting the state's authority according to Paragraph 5 of the Beirut Agreement, and an agreement was reached on the following:

- Prohibiting the use of weapons or violence or taking refuge in them in any dispute whatsoever and under any circumstances, in order to ensure respect for the national partnership contract, based on the Lebanese people's commitment to live with one another within the framework of the Lebanese system, and to restrict the security and military authority over Lebanese nationals and residents to the state alone so as to ensure the continuity of the coexistence formula and civil peace among all the Lebanese; and the parties pledge to all of the above.

- Implementing the law and upholding the sovereignty of the state throughout Lebanon so as not to have regions that serve as safe havens for outlaws, out of respect for the supremacy of the law, and referring all those who commit crimes and contraventions to the Lebanese judiciary.

This dialogue is to be resumed under the aegis of the president as soon as he is elected and a national unity government is formed, and with the participation of the Arab League in such a way as to boost confidence among the Lebanese.

Fifth: Reasserting the commitment of the Lebanese political leaders to immediately abstain from resorting to the rhetoric of treason or political or sectarian instigation.

The Arab Ministerial Committee undertakes to register this agreement before the Arab League General Secretariat as soon as it is signed.

The agreement was signed in Doha on May 21, 2008 by the Lebanese political leaders participating in the Conference and in the presence of the president and members of the Arab Ministerial Committee.”

International support

The UN Security Council welcomed the deal reached by Lebanon's majority and opposition blocs to end an 18-month political standoff and elect a new president. The UN “welcomes and strongly supports the agreement reached by Lebanese leaders in Doha on May 21..., which constitutes an essential step towards the resolution of the current crisis... and the complete restoration of Lebanon's unity, stability and independence.” In a non-binding statement adopted by all 15 members, the Security Council also “welcomes the agreement to ban the use of weapons and violence as a means to settle disputes, irrespective of their nature and under any circumstances.” It hailed the agreement between the Western-backed majority and the Hezbollah-led opposition, backed by Syria and Iran, to elect a new president, establish a national unity cabinet and address Lebanon's electoral law. The Council reaffirmed “its strong support for the territorial integrity, sovereignty, unity and political independence of Lebanon within its internationally recognized borders and under the sole and exclusive authority of the government of Lebanon over all Lebanese territory.” The statement also recalled previous Security Council resolutions calling for the dismantling and the disarming of all Lebanese and foreign militias.

Individual countries also supported the agreement:

After Doha Agreement

The opposition ended its sit-in which had begun on 1 December 2006 in Beirut. On 25 May 2008, Lebanon's parliament elected General Michel Sleiman as the new president of the country, a post that had been vacant since November.

Lebanese reaction to agreement

After the agreement the opposition barricades were dismantled and so were the opposition protest camps in Martyrs' Square. [8]

Lebanese across the political spectrum have greeted it with relief and joy. After electing President Michel Suleiman, fireworks erupted all over the country, and festivals were held all over Beirut such as the festivals in the Beirut Central District which was the first large non-political gathering in the district for months with Haifa Wehbe, Ragheb Alama, and Assi Al Hillany performing.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of Lebanon</span>

The history of Lebanon covers the history of the modern Republic of Lebanon and the earlier emergence of Greater Lebanon under the French Mandate for Syria and the Lebanon, as well as the previous history of the region, covered by the modern state.

Lebanon is a parliamentary democratic republic within the overall framework of confessionalism, a form of consociationalism in which the highest offices are proportionately reserved for representatives from certain religious communities. The constitution of Lebanon grants the people the right to change their government. However, from the mid-1970s until the parliamentary elections in 1992, the Lebanese Civil War (1975–1990) precluded the exercise of political rights.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kataeb Party</span> Lebanese Christian democratic political party

The Kataeb Party, officially the Kataeb Party – Lebanese Social Democratic Party, also known as the Phalanges, is a right-wing Christian political party in Lebanon founded by Pierre Gemayel in 1936. The party and its paramilitary wings played a major role in the Lebanese Civil War (1975–1990), opposing Palestinian forces in the country as well as collaborating with Israel. Pierre's youngest son Bachir, the leader of the party's militia, was elected President in 1982, but was assassinated before he could take office. He was succeeded by his older brother Amine, who led the party through much of the war. In decline in the late 1980s and 1990s, the party slowly re-emerged in the early 2000s and is currently part of the Lebanese opposition. The party currently holds 4 out of the 128 seats in the Lebanese Parliament.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lebanese Civil War</span> 1975–1990 conflict in Lebanon

The Lebanese Civil War was a multifaceted armed conflict that took place from 1975 to 1990. It resulted in an estimated 150,000 fatalities and led to the exodus of almost one million people from Lebanon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nabih Berri</span> Lebanese politician

Nabih Mustafa Berri is a Lebanese politician who has been serving as Speaker of the Parliament of Lebanon since 1992. He heads the Amal Movement and its parliamentary wing, Development and Liberation Bloc.

The Taif Agreement, officially known as the National Reconciliation Accord, was reached to provide "the basis for the ending of the civil war and the return to political normalcy in Lebanon". Negotiated in Taif, Saudi Arabia, it was designed to end the 15 year-long Lebanese Civil War, reassert Lebanese government authority in southern Lebanon, which was controlled at the time by the Christian-separatist South Lebanon Army under the occupational hegemony of Israel. Though the agreement set a time frame for withdrawal of Syrian military forces from Lebanon, stipulating that the Syrian occupation end within two years, Syria did not withdraw its forces from the country until 2005. It was signed on 22 October 1989 and ratified by the Lebanese parliament on 5 November, 1989.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Samir Geagea</span> Lebanese politician

Samir Farid Geagea is a Lebanese politician and former militia commander who has been the leader of the Lebanese Forces party and former militia since 1986.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michel Aoun</span> 13th President of Lebanon from 2016 to 2022

Michel Naim Aoun is a Lebanese politician and former military general who served as the President of Lebanon from 31 October 2016 until 30 October 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Élias Sarkis</span> Lebanese politician (1924–1985)

Élias Sarkis was a Lebanese lawyer and President of Lebanon who served from 1976 to 1982.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saad Hariri</span> Lebanese politician (born 1970)

Saad El-Din Rafik Al-Hariri is a Lebanese-Saudi businessman and politician who served as the prime minister of Lebanon from 2009 to 2011 and 2016 to 2020. The son of Rafic Hariri, he founded and has been leading the Future Movement party since 2007. He is seen as "the strongest figurehead" of the March 14 Alliance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Najah Wakim</span> Lebanese politician

Najah Wakim is a Lebanese politician who served as member of parliament from 1972 to 2000. He is the president of the People's Movement.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">March 14 Alliance</span> Lebanese anti-Syrian political coalition

The March 14 Alliance, named after the date of the Cedar Revolution, was a coalition of political parties and independents in Lebanon formed in 2005 that were united by their anti-Syrian stance and by their opposition to the March 8 Alliance. It was led by Saad Hariri, Walid Jumblatt and Samir Geagea, as well as other prominent figures.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2006–2008 Lebanese protests</span> Series of political protests in Lebanon

The 2006–2008 Lebanese protests were a series of political protests and sit-ins in Lebanon that began on 1 December 2006, led by groups that opposed the US and Saudi-backed government of Prime Minister Fouad Siniora and ended on 21 May 2008 with the signing of the Doha Agreement. The opposition was made up of Hezbollah, Amal, and the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM); a number of smaller parties were also involved, including the Marada party, the Lebanese Communist Party and the Syrian Social Nationalist Party. A majority of the members of the government were part of the anti-Syrian March 14 Alliance, a coalition of political parties and independents in Lebanon. The two groups were also divided along religious lines, with most Sunnis and Druze supporting the government, and most Shi'a supporting the opposition. The Christian community was split between the two factions, with Michel Aoun, the leader of the FPM, claiming to have more than 70% support among the Christians, based on the results of the 2005 parliamentary election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2009 Lebanese general election</span>

Parliamentary elections were held in Lebanon on 7 June 2009 to elect all 128 members of the Parliament of Lebanon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2008 Lebanon conflict</span> Intrastate conflict in Lebanon in 2008

The 2008 Lebanon conflict was a brief intrastate military conflict in May 2008 in Lebanon between opposition militias and pro-government Sunnis, after the 18-month-long political crisis spiralled out of control, when the government's decision to dismantle Hezbollah's telecommunication system, which led to Hezbollah seizing control of majority Sunni neighbourhoods in west Beirut, and ended with the adoption of the Doha Accord in 2008.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michel Suleiman</span> 12th President of Lebanon

Michel Suleiman is a Lebanese politician who served as President of Lebanon from 2008 to 2014. Before becoming president, he served as commander of the Lebanese Armed Forces from 1998 to 2008.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Samy Gemayel</span> President of the Lebanese Kataeb Party

Samy Amine Gemayel is a Lebanese politician, lawyer and a member of the Lebanese parliament. Being elected as party president in 2015, he presently serves as the seventh leader of the Lebanese Kataeb Party which was founded by his grandfather, Pierre Gemayel. He is a critic of the Free Patriotic Movement and Hezbollah. In his youth, he took part in pro-independence protest movements against the pro-Syrian political parties.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">First Cabinet of Saad Hariri</span> Lebanese government 2009–2011

On 9 November 2009, after five months of negotiations following the 2009 parliamentary elections, Lebanese prime minister Saad Hariri formed a national unity government.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Second Cabinet of Najib Mikati</span>

The formation of a new government led by Najib Mikati follows five months of negotiations after the fall of the Saad Hariri government. Mikati formed a controversial 30-minister cabinet. Following ruptures and tensions and two previous threats to resign, Mikati finally resigned on 23 March 2013. Tammam Salam was tasked to form a new government on 6 April 2013.

The following lists events that happened in 2008 in Lebanon.

References

  1. Makhzoumi, Fouad (2010). "Lebanon's Crisis of Sovereignty". Survival: Global Politics and Strategy. 52 (2): 5–12. doi:10.1080/00396331003764298. S2CID   153822060.
  2. http://www.voanews.com/english/archive/2008-05/2008-05-06-voa20.cfm?CFID=5455137&CFTOKEN=96996524 [ permanent dead link ]
  3. Naharnet Newsdesk - Sarkozy Describes Qatar Accord as 'Great Success'
  4. Naharnet Newsdesk - Kouchner: Doha Accord Doesn't Tackle Crisis Roots
  5. "Iran hails Lebanese deal to end crisis". Tehran Times. Retrieved 2008-05-22.
  6. "Lebanese Leaders Sign Historic Agreement" . Retrieved 22 May 2008.
  7. "United States Welcomes the Doha Agreement on Lebanon" . Retrieved 2017-06-24.
  8. A Political Breakthrough In Doha