François al-Hajj
Encyclopedia
General
François al-Hajj was born in the southern Lebanese
town of Rmaich
. He was assassinated by a car bomb on December 12, 2007.
and was then transferred to head positions north of the Litani during the 1980s. In 1988-89 he fought against Syrian forces assaulting the “free zones” of West Beirut during the Lebanese Civil War
, he also battled the Lebanese Forces
militia. In addition, General Hajj, led the Lebanese Army operation in Dinnieh
during 2000. He gained recognition as a brilliant commander during the 15-week operation
against Fatah al-Islam
in Nahr al-Bared
camp northern Lebanon during Summer 2007. He was a supporter of General Michel Aoun, a Catholic Maronite, that in 2006 allied with Hezbollah to push for a strategy of "war against corruption". At General Al-Hajj's funeral, Saad Hariri was spat on and told to leave.
. Israel
and through its allies in Southern Lebanon tried to recruit and cooperate with General Hajj who was a First Lieutenant
back then; however they were met by his continuous refusal.
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
François al-Hajj was born in the southern Lebanese
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
town of Rmaich
Rmaich
Rmeish is located in south Lebanon, Caza Beint Jbeil near the Lebanese-Israeli border occupying an area of 20 km2. The ruins found in the village indicate that the area was occupied by the Romans and the Crusaders at some stage in history...
. He was assassinated by a car bomb on December 12, 2007.
Military career
He entered the military academy in 1972, graduating in 1975. He fought against the Israeli occupation in South Lebanon1982 Lebanon War
The 1982 Lebanon War , , called Operation Peace for Galilee by Israel, and later known in Israel as the Lebanon War and First Lebanon War, began on 6 June 1982, when the Israel Defense Forces invaded southern Lebanon...
and was then transferred to head positions north of the Litani during the 1980s. In 1988-89 he fought against Syrian forces assaulting the “free zones” of West Beirut during the Lebanese Civil War
Lebanese Civil War
The Lebanese Civil War was a multifaceted civil war in Lebanon. The war lasted from 1975 to 1990 and resulted in an estimated 150,000 to 230,000 civilian fatalities. Another one million people were wounded, and today approximately 350,000 people remain displaced. There was also a mass exodus of...
, he also battled the Lebanese Forces
Lebanese Forces
The Lebanese Forces is a Lebanese political party. Founded as a militia by Bachir Gemayel during the Lebanese Civil War, the movement fought as the main militia within the Christian-dominated Lebanese Front...
militia. In addition, General Hajj, led the Lebanese Army operation in Dinnieh
Dinnieh fighting
The Dinnieh fighting involved the Islamist group Takfir wa al-Hijra and the Lebanese Army fighting for eight days in the mountainous Dinnieh region, east of the northern Lebanese port of Tripoli....
during 2000. He gained recognition as a brilliant commander during the 15-week operation
2007 Lebanon conflict
The 2007 Lebanon conflict began when fighting broke out between Fatah al-Islam, an Islamist militant organization, and the Lebanese Armed Forces on May 20, 2007 in Nahr al-Bared, an UNRWA Palestinian refugee camp near Tripoli. It was the most severe internal fighting since Lebanon's 1975–90 civil...
against Fatah al-Islam
Fatah al-Islam
Fatah al-Islam, is a radical Sunni Islamist group that formed in November 2006 in a Palestinian refugee camp, located in Lebanon. It has been described as a militant jihadist movement that draws inspiration from al-Qaeda...
in Nahr al-Bared
Nahr al-Bared
Nahr al-Bared is a Palestinian refugee camp in northern Lebanon, 16 km from the city of Tripoli. Some 30,000 displaced Palestinians and their descendents live in and around the camp, which was named after the river that runs south of the camp...
camp northern Lebanon during Summer 2007. He was a supporter of General Michel Aoun, a Catholic Maronite, that in 2006 allied with Hezbollah to push for a strategy of "war against corruption". At General Al-Hajj's funeral, Saad Hariri was spat on and told to leave.
Previous Assassination Attempts
A previous failing Israeli attempt to assassinate General Hajj took place in 1976 by exploding his car in his hometown RmaichRmaich
Rmeish is located in south Lebanon, Caza Beint Jbeil near the Lebanese-Israeli border occupying an area of 20 km2. The ruins found in the village indicate that the area was occupied by the Romans and the Crusaders at some stage in history...
. Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
and through its allies in Southern Lebanon tried to recruit and cooperate with General Hajj who was a First Lieutenant
First Lieutenant
First lieutenant is a military rank and, in some forces, an appointment.The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations , but the majority of cases it is common for it to be sub-divided into a senior and junior rank...
back then; however they were met by his continuous refusal.
Honors and Medals
General Francois Hajj received the following honors and medals:- Medal of War
- Order of the Wounded
- National Cedar Medal of Honor
- Lebanese Order of Merit (3rd degree)
- Order of National Unity
- Order of the Dawn of the South
- Lebanese Order of Merit (1st class)
- National Cedar Medal
- Medal of Loyalty
- Cedar Medal of National Honor
- Commended by the Army Commander over 24 times.