Bachir Gemayel

Following Bachir Gemayel's assassination, Israeli forces allowed Phalangist militias to enter the Sabra and Shatila Palestinian refugee camps in Beirut. Between September 16-18, 1982, the militias massacred an estimated 800-3,500 civilians, mostly Palestinians and Lebanese Shia. The massacre was widely condemned internationally and tarnished the legacy of Gemayel's movement.

Bachir Gemayel was elected President of Lebanon on August 23, 1982, during the Israeli occupation of Beirut. He was the leader of the Lebanese Forces (Christian militia) and was seen as a strongman who could restore order. His election was boycotted by Muslim MPs, reflecting deep sectarian divisions.

On September 14, 1982, Bachir Gemayel was assassinated by a bomb planted at the headquarters of the Phalangist party in Beirut. The attack killed him along with 26 others. The assassination was carried out by Habib Shartouni, a Syrian-linked agent, and it derailed hopes for a political settlement, leading to the Sabra and Shatila massacre three days later.