Socialist Arab Lebanon Vanguard Party حزب طليعة لبنان العربي الاشتراكي | |
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Leader | Abd al-Majid al-Rafei |
Founded | 1966 |
Headquarters | Beirut, Lebanon |
Ideology | Ba'athism Socialism Secularism Saddamism Anti-Zionism |
International affiliation | Iraqi-led Ba'ath Party |
Colors | Black, Red, White and Green |
Battles/Wars | Lebanese Civil War 1978 South Lebanon conflict Battle of the Hotels Siege of Beirut |
Parliament of Lebanon | 0 / 128 |
Party flag | |
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Ba'athism |
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The Socialist Arab Lebanon Vanguard Party (Arabic: حزب طليعة لبنان العربي الاشتراكي Hizb Al-Taliyeh Lubnan Al-'Arabi Al-Ishtiraki) is a political party in Lebanon. The party was led by Abd al-Majid al-Rafei[1][2] until his death in July 2017. It is the Lebanese regional branch of the Iraqi-led Ba'ath Party. The party held its second congress in October 2011. Founders of the party included Dr. Abd al-Majid al-Rafe'ii, Jihad George Karam, Rafiq Naseeb al-Faqih,Rashid Abo Falah,Karam Mohamed al-Sahili, Hani Mohammad Sho'aib, Ammar Mohammad Shibli, Hassan Khalil Gharib and Wassef El Harakeh.[2] Although formally affiliated to the Sunni-dominated regime in Baghdad, the majority of the party's members were Lebanese Shiites.[3]
The existence of the Lebanese branch of the Iraqi-led Ba'ath Party has much longer roots than its Syrian-led counterpart. Following the 1966 split in the Ba'ath Party between Iraqi and Syrian-dominated factions, the pro-Iraqi party was led by Abd al-Majid Rafei.[4][5]
At first, the pro-Iraqi party and the pro-Syrian party worked side-by-side in the Lebanese National Movement (also known as the National Front), but with tension increasing between them, the two parties were on a war footing.[6] The party was active in 1960s demonstrations,[7] and al-Rafei was detained by Lebanese authorities for his political activities.[8] However, he was a candidate from Tripoli in the 1968 general election.[9] The party expanded during the first half of the 1970s,[10] and in the 1972 general election al-Rafi was elected to parliament from Tripoli.[11] Ali al-Khalil, a former member, was elected from Tyre. The party was active in southern Lebanon.In nabatieh it was headed by hani mohammad Shoaib.The party was built with generous aid from Iraq.[12]