Editing History of Lebanon (section)

===Instability and Syrian War spillover===
{{main|Syrian Civil War spillover in Lebanon|2011 Lebanese protests}}
In 2007, the [[Nahr al-Bared]] refugee camp became the center of the [[2007 Lebanon conflict]] between the Lebanese Army and [[Fatah al-Islam]]. At least 169 soldiers, 287 insurgents and 47 civilians were killed in the battle. Funds for the reconstruction of the area have been slow to materialize.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=81306 |title=Life set to get harder for Nahr al-Bared refugees |publisher=UN IRIN newsg |date=5 November 2008 |access-date=17 January 2013 |archive-date=22 September 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110922104134/http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=81306 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Between 2006 and 2008, [[2006–2008 Lebanese political protests|a series of protests]] led by groups opposed to the pro-Western Prime Minister [[Fouad Siniora]] demanded the creation of a national unity government, over which the mostly Shia opposition groups would have veto power. When Émile Lahoud's presidential term ended in October 2007, the opposition refused to vote for a successor unless a power-sharing deal was reached, leaving Lebanon without a president.

On 9 May 2008, Hezbollah and [[Amal Movement|Amal]] forces, sparked by a government declaration that Hezbollah's communications network was illegal, seized western Beirut,<ref name="Global Politician">{{Cite news|url=http://www.globalpolitician.com/24841-lebanon|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110628234738/http://www.globalpolitician.com/24841-lebanon|archive-date=28 June 2011|title=Lebanon back to Normalcy?|last=Ruff|first=Abdul|date=1 June 2008|work=Global Politician|access-date=19 October 2009}}</ref> leading to the [[2008 conflict in Lebanon]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Beirut street clashes turn deadly |url=http://www.france24.com/en/20080509-beirut-street-clashes-turn-deadly-lebanon-hezbollah?navi=MONDE |publisher=[[France 24]] |access-date=9 May 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101204041825/http://www.france24.com/en/20080509-beirut-street-clashes-turn-deadly-lebanon-hezbollah?navi=MONDE |archive-date=4 December 2010 }}</ref> The Lebanese government denounced the violence as a coup attempt.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tni.org/article/walking-tight-wire|title=Walking the tight wire – Conversations on the May 2008 Lebanese crisis|last=Martínez|first=Beatriz|author2=Francesco Volpicella|date=September 2008|publisher=Transnational Institute|access-date=9 May 2010|archive-date=23 March 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100323224102/http://www.tni.org/article/walking-tight-wire|url-status=live}}</ref> At least 62 people died in the resulting clashes between pro-government and opposition militias.<ref name="Doha NYT" /> On 21 May 2008, the signing of the [[Doha Agreement (2008)|Doha Agreement]] ended the fighting.<ref name="Global Politician"/><ref name="Doha NYT" /> As part of the accord, which ended 18 months of political paralysis,<ref name = "Doha">{{Cite news|url=http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=1&categ_id=2&article_id=92308|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090305232232/http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=1&categ_id=2&article_id=92308|archive-date=5 March 2009|title=Lebanese rivals set to elect president after historic accord|last=Abdallah |first=Hussein|date=22 May 2008|work=[[Daily Star (Lebanon)|The Daily Star]]|access-date=19 October 2009}}</ref> [[Michel Suleiman]] became president and a national unity government was established, granting a veto to the opposition.<ref name="Global Politician"/> The agreement was a victory for opposition forces, as the government caved in to all their main demands.<ref name="Doha NYT">{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/16/world/middleeast/16lebanon.html|title=Feuding Political Camps in Lebanon Agree to Talk to End Impasse|last=Worth|first=Robert|author2=Nada Bakri|date=16 May 2008|work=The New York Times|access-date=19 October 2009|archive-date=11 December 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081211002146/http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/16/world/middleeast/16lebanon.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

In early January 2011, the [[Lebanese government of November 2009|national unity government]] collapsed due to growing tensions stemming from the [[Special Tribunal for Lebanon]], which was expected to indict Hezbollah members for the Hariri assassination.<ref name="BBC collapse">{{cite news|title=Hezbollah and allies topple Lebanese unity government|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12170608|access-date=12 January 2011|publisher=BBC|date=12 January 2011|archive-date=13 January 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110113042200/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12170608|url-status=live}}</ref> The parliament elected [[Najib Mikati]], the candidate for the Hezbollah-led [[March 8 Alliance]], Prime Minister of Lebanon, making him responsible for forming a new government.<ref name="NYT collapse">{{cite news|last=Bakri|first=Nada|author-link=Nada Bakri|title=Resignations Deepen Crisis for Lebanon|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/13/world/middleeast/13lebanon.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1|access-date=12 January 2011|newspaper=The New York Times|date=12 January 2011|archive-date=10 November 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121110084949/http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/13/world/middleeast/13lebanon.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1|url-status=live}}</ref> Hezbollah leader [[Hassan Nasrallah]] insists that Israel was responsible for the assassination of Hariri.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://articles.cnn.com/2010-08-09/world/lebanon.nasrallah.israel_1_hezbollah-leader-hassan-nasrallah-israelis?_s=PM:WORLD |title=Hezbollah chief: Israel killed Hariri |publisher=CNN |date=9 August 2010 |access-date=17 January 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130116235714/http://articles.cnn.com/2010-08-09/world/lebanon.nasrallah.israel_1_hezbollah-leader-hassan-nasrallah-israelis?_s=PM%3AWORLD |archive-date=16 January 2013 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}</ref> A report leaked by the [[Al Akhbar (Lebanon)|Al-Akhbar]] newspaper in November 2010 stated that Hezbollah has drafted plans for a takeover of the country if the Special Tribunal for Lebanon issues an indictment against its members.<ref>{{cite web|title=Hezbollah Threatens an 'Explosion' in Beirut Over Tribunal|url=http://www.stratfor.com/sample/analysis/hezbollah-threatens-explosion-beirut-over-tribunal|publisher=Stratfor|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131110160410/http://www.stratfor.com/sample/analysis/hezbollah-threatens-explosion-beirut-over-tribunal|archive-date=2013-11-10}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Lebanese Daily: Hizbullah Drills Takeover of Lebanon|url=http://www.memri.org/report/en/0/0/0/0/0/0/4725.htm|publisher=Middle East Media Research Institute|date=3 November 2010|access-date=15 November 2015|archive-date=7 October 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121007224427/http://www.memri.org/report/en/0/0/0/0/0/0/4725.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2012, the [[Syrian Civil War]] threatened to spill over in Lebanon, causing more [[Syrian civil war spillover in Lebanon|incidents of sectarian violence]] and armed clashes between [[Sunni Islam in Lebanon|Sunnis]] and [[Shia Islam in Lebanon|Alawites]] in Tripoli.<ref>{{cite news|title=Syrian War Plays Out Along a Street in Lebanon|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/24/world/middleeast/syrian-war-plays-out-along-a-street-in-lebanon.html?ref=middleeast|work=The New York Times|last=Cave|first=Damien|date=23 August 2012|access-date=19 February 2017|archive-date=1 July 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170701041958/http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/24/world/middleeast/syrian-war-plays-out-along-a-street-in-lebanon.html?ref=middleeast|url-status=live}}</ref> As of 6 August 2013, more than 677,702 Syrian refugees are in Lebanon.<ref name=refugees>{{cite web|title=Syria Regional Refugee Response – Lebanon|url=http://data.unhcr.org/syrianrefugees/country.php?id=122|publisher=UNHCR|access-date=2015-11-15|archive-date=2013-06-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130626091416/http://data.unhcr.org/syrianrefugees/country.php?id=122|url-status=dead}}</ref> As the number of Syrian refugees increases, the [[Lebanese Forces|Lebanese Forces Party]], the [[Kataeb Party]], and the [[Free Patriotic Movement]] fear the country's sectarian based political system is being undermined.<ref>{{cite web|last=Kverme|first=Kai|title=The Refugee Factor|url=http://carnegieendowment.org/2013/02/14/refugee-factor/fgl0|publisher=SADA|access-date=14 February 2013|date=14 February 2013|archive-date=29 October 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029192335/http://carnegieendowment.org/2013/02/14/refugee-factor/fgl0|url-status=dead}}</ref>