Lebanon

Introduction
Lebanon is a country in the Middle East. It was called "the land of milk and honey" in the Bible. Beirut is the capital of Lebanon. It is a very beautiful and modern city, which is why it is usually called "Paris of the East". Lebanon is mainly bordered by Syria and Palestine. The Mediterranean Sea borders Lebanon on the west. Lebanon is famous for the support of art and artists. Shakira, the well-known singer, is half Lebanese.
Modern History
Lebanon was the ground for many conflicts and bloodshed all through its modern history. By way of illustration, in 1943, Lebanon became independent from France, but Christians took control of the country at the expense of Muslims. The conflict between Muslims and Christians emerged to the surface when 100,000 Palestinians were evicted from Palestine and poured into Lebanon. This was a big concern to Christians as Palestinians were Sunni Muslims. Tension between the two groups reached its peak when a radical Christian group, the Phalange, killed dozens of Palestinians in an attack at their bus. This crime led to revenge killings. In 1976, Syria interfered by sending 20,000 troops to root out radical Muslim groups. In one of the massacres, 2000 Palestinians were killed. The tension resulted in a complete mistrust between Muslims and Christians, the collapse of the Lebanese army and the creation of "The Green Line", a zone separating the Muslim west from the Christian east in Beirut.In 1982, the Israeli army invaded Beirut to root out the Palestinian Liberation Organization, which launched attacks on Israel. Thousands of people died in the fighting before the PLO was driven out. In 1989, a peace deal was reached between different groups in Lebanon.


Lebanon Today
Lebanon today is enjoying a peaceful life except for the wars that take place between Hizbullah and Israel. These wars are the biggest threat on the security and the stability of the country. The major problem in Lebanon is the Israeli occupation of some parts. Nevertheless, Lebanon is making giant steps towards progress and stability. The main support of Lebanon's economy lies in tourism. Thousands of tourists pour into Lebanon every year to enjoy its beautiful scenery.

References

"Eye on Lebanon." Global eye. 2006. 2 June 2009 .