Word: karami
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Dates: during 1980-1989
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Meanwhile, a tug of war was developing over Lebanon's new Cabinet. Rashid Karami, 62, had been appointed Prime Minister two weeks ago and asked to form his tenth Cabinet since 1955. It was hoped that Karami, a pro-Syrian Sunni Muslim, would find that a new 26-member Cabinet would be large enough to accommodate all of Lebanon's myriad sectarian interests and make a political reality of the dramatic realignment in the country's balance of military power brought about when Shi'ite militiamen seized control of West Beirut in February...
After days of haggling with factional leaders and after several hours of talks with President Amin Gemayel, Karami unveiled his new plan last week. It surprised most Lebanese and enraged many. For although the proposed Cabinet prudently included representatives from all six of Lebanon's main religious groups, it had only ten seats, and it distributed them in a manner that did less to correct the underrepresentation of Shi'ites and Druze in Lebanese politics than to compound it. Shi'ite Leader Nabih Berri, 44, was given the relatively unimportant portfolio of Justice, Water and Electricity; Druze...
...ites remain determined that their recent military victories be reflected in political gains. "Even the defense portfolio was denied us," said Ghassan Siblini, one of Berri's top aides. "What Karami is offering is the status quo, and that is not what we have been fighting for at such a high cost in terms of lives and destruction." Berri demanded that Karami address the Shi'ites' most urgent concerns by establishing two new ministries, one for managing reconstruction and the other for overseeing Israeli-controlled southern Lebanon. "Berri cannot ignore the twin pillars...
...restore Lebanese unity was torn at by bartering and bickering, Beirut's latest cease-fire was being shattered on a daily basis. Peace-keeping buffer groups were forced to run for cover, and several civilians were killed. The only point of universal agreement was that Lebanon faced what Karami called "a delicate time element that cannot bear delay." War-weary Beirutis have already dubbed the new Cabinet a "last-chance government." With such a shaky debut, the last-chance lineup may not last for long...
...Karami succeeds, it will be a victory for the Syrians, who are overseeing a shaky cease-fire in Beirut. The uneasy calm has allowed battle-weary residents to schedule a peace march, the city's first in recent memory, this weekend. Organizers hope to be able to assemble thousands of people on both sides of the "green line," which separates predominantly Muslim West Beirut from the Christian eastern sector. The demonstration may make good drama, but it will be up to Karami and his Syrian sponsors to make good the peace...