1988 - 1989

1988, September 22 - When no candidate is elected to succeed him, outgoing President Amin El-Gemayel appoints a six-member interim military government, composed of three Christians and three Muslims, though the latter refuse to serve. Lebanon now has two governments - one mainly Muslim in West Beirut, headed by Al-Huss, the other, Christian, in East Beirut, led by the Maronite Commander-in-Chief of the Army, General Michel Awn.

1989, March 14 - Awn declares a "war of liberation" against the Syrian presence in Lebanon.

1989, July 28 - Shaykh Abd-al-Karim Ubayd, Hezbollah leader in Jibshit, is abducted by Israeli forces.

1989, October 22 - The National Assembly, meeting in Ta'if, Saudi Arabia, endorses a Charter of National Reconciliation, which reduces the authority of the president by transferring executive power to the cabinet. The National Assembly now has an equal number of Christian and Muslim members, instead of the previous 6 to 5 ratio.

1989, November - President-elect Rene Mu'awwad is assassinated on 22 November and succeeded by Ilyas al-Hirawi on 24 November. The following day, Salim al-Huss becomes Prime Minister, and Gen Emile Lahhud replaces Awn as Commander-in-Chief of the Army on 28 November.