Word: jumblatt
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Dates: during 1980-1989
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Gemayel's chief military opponents, Druze Leader Walid Jumblatt and Nabih Berri, the head of the Shi'ite Amal militia, plan to seek a new electoral system for Lebanon's moribund 99-member parliament, involving nationwide proportional representation. If accepted, the arrangement would strongly favor the country's Muslims, who make up 50% to 60% of the Lebanese population. In addition, Jumblatt and Berri are determined to end the longstanding Christian Maronite domination of the upper reaches of the Lebanese civil service and army...
...next few days." The first fruit of the talks, however, was supposed to be a general cease-fire in Lebanon. At week's end that had not yet been achieved, even though Assad was exerting considerable pressure on Gemayel's chief opponents in Lebanon, Druze Leader Walid Jumblatt and Nabih Berri, head of the Shi'ite Amal militia. By Saturday, however, Jumblatt and Berri had dropped their demand for Gemayel's resignation...
...Assad-Gemayel talks will be the attempted resuscitation of the moribund Geneva negotiations among all Lebanese factions over the formation of a government of national unity. A spokesman for Gemayel predicted that the conference would begin by the end of this week, "if not sooner." Opposition Leaders Jumblatt and Berri would most likely be invited to join the new government, which Syria has promised to help by extending its rule to parts of Lebanon currently outside Gemayel's control...
Syria rejected the plan, and some of Gemayel's Lebanese enemies dismissed it as too little, too late. In Damascus, Druze Leader Walid Jumblatt insisted that Gemayel must not only resign but be put on trial for "crimes against the Lebanese people." On the other hand, Syria, which is helping to arm Gemayel's foes, is believed amenable to letting the President stay on, and it invited a revised plan which the Saudis proposed and conveyed to Beirut. If Gemayel does cling to office, it may be as the figurehead leader of a drastically reshaped government heavily influenced...
Schismatic problems within the Amal may be compounded by growing tensions between Berri and his Druze allies, led by Walid Jumblatt. After joining forces to rout the Lebanese troops from West Beirut, the two factions may soon find themselves jousting for supremacy in a new political order. Now that the Amal has joined the ranks of the principal players in Lebanon, it is discovering the frustrations that come with power...