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François al-Hajj
François al-Hajj
	July 28, 1953 – December 12, 2007 (aged 54)
Place of birth	Rmaich – Qadaa of Bint Jbeil
Place of death	Baabda
Resting place	Rmaich
Allegiance	Lebanon
Service/branch	Lebanese Armed Forces
Years of service	1972 - 2007
Rank	Major General
Commands held	; Commando Regiment (1996 - 2002); Third Intervention Regiment (1992 - 1996);
Battles/wars	; Operation Nahr el-Bared; OperationDinnieh; Liberation War; Israeli occupation in South Lebanon;

General François al-Hajj (Arabic: الجنرال فرنسوا الحاج‎, July 28, 1953^[1] – December 12, 2007^[1]) was born in the southern Lebanese town of Rmaich ^[1]. He was the Lebanese Army's chief of operations and the commander of operation Naher el-Bared when the Lebanese army fought Islamic militants from Fatah al-Islam in Nahr al-Bared refugee camp during Summer 2007 ^[2]. He was assassinated by a car bomb on December 12, 2007.^[3]

General Hajj was tipped to become the army commnader-in-chief if General Michel Suleiman was to become the president to remedy a political crisis in 2007.^[2]

[edit] Military career

He entered the military academy in 1972, graduating in 1975 ^[1]. He fought against the Israeli occupation in South 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 Liberation War, he also battled the Lebanese Forces militia. In addition, General Hajj, led the Lebanese Army operation in Dinnieh during 2000. He gained notoriety during the 15-week operation against Fatah al-Islam in Nahr al-Bared camp northern Lebanon during Summer 2007.

[edit] December 12, 2007 Bomb Attack

A bomb attack in Baabda, a high security area south east of Beirut which includes the Presidential Palace, the Ministry of National Defense, several army bases, several embassies, and homes of senior politicians, killed four people including General Hajj.^[2]

[edit] Previous Assassination Attempts

A previous failing Israeli attempt to assassinate General Hajj took place in 1976 by exploding his car in his hometown Rmaich. 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. ^[4]

[edit] Honors and Medals

General Francois Hajj received the following honors and medals: ^[1]

Medal of War
Order of the Wounded
National Cedar Medal of Honor
Lebanese Order of Merit (3rd degree)
Order of National Unity

General Francois al-Hajj

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.

[edit] External links

[edit] References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e "اللواء الركن الشهيد فـرنسوا الياس الحاج" (in Arabic). Lebanese Army. http://www.lebarmy.gov.lb/martyrs.asp?ln=en&id=17070. Retrieved 2008-12-30.
^ ^a ^b ^c Blast kills Lebanon army general
^ Ghattas, Sam F. (2007-12-12). "Car bomb kills top Lebanese general". Associated Press. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071212/ap_on_re_mi_ea/lebanon_explosion.
^ Soud, Ghassan (December 13, 2007). "فرنسوا الحاج "إسرائيل حاولت اغتياله وجعجع طلب إبعاده والعبسي فرّ من بين يديه"" (in Arabic). Al-Akhbar Newspaper (Beirut) (403). http://www.al-akhbar.com/ar/node/57304. Retrieved December 30, 2008.

[lafws-0] "اللواء الركن الشهيد فـرنسوا الياس الحاج" (in Arabic). Lebanese Army. http://www.lebarmy.gov.lb/martyrs.asp?ln=en&id=17070. Retrieved 2008-12-30.

[Ref_BBC-1] Blast kills Lebanon army general

[2] Ghattas, Sam F. (2007-12-12). "Car bomb kills top Lebanese general". Associated Press. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071212/ap_on_re_mi_ea/lebanon_explosion.

[alakbar-3] Soud, Ghassan (December 13, 2007). "فرنسوا الحاج "إسرائيل حاولت اغتياله وجعجع طلب إبعاده والعبسي فرّ من بين يديه"" (in Arabic). Al-Akhbar Newspaper (Beirut) (403). http://www.al-akhbar.com/ar/node/57304. Retrieved December 30, 2008.

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