William Hawi وليم حاوي |
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Former chief of the Kataeb Security Council | |
Succeeded by | Bashir Gemayel |
Personal details | |
Born |
New York City, United States |
September 5, 1908
Died | July 13, 1976 Tel al-Zaatar, Beirut, Lebanon |
(aged 67)
Nationality | Lebanese and American |
Political party | Kataeb Party |
Religion | Eastern Orthodox |
William Amine Hawi (also written: William Haoui), – (September 5, 1908 – July 13, 1976), (Arabic: وليم أمين حاوي) William Hawi joined the Kataeb Party in 1937 (Arabic: الكتائب اللبنانية) better known in English as the Phalangist party organization, a right-wing Christian political party in Lebanon.
He was appointed Head of the Second and Fourth Districts, President of the Recruitment Bureau, Head of the Department of Security, Sport and Mobilization on May 29, 1952, and member of the Political Bureau on July 12, 1952. On June 16, 1958, William Hawi was in charge of organizing and leading the activists during the Lebanese events; this constituted the hub of the Party's Regulatory Forces. On January 23, 1961, the Political Bureau dissolved the militants' organization before including its members in the Lebanese Phalange Party and Hawi created the Regulatory Forces. On February 6, 1961, William Hawi was appointed Head of said Forces. In 1963, the “First Commandos” unit was created. It was followed by the “Second Commandos” unit, then by the “B.G" troop. In 1973, the "Maghaweer" platoon was created and the “Combat School” established. Moreover, “Chef” William supervised the setting up of camps as well as the training organization and development, which enabled the progress of the regulatory process.
In 1952, the Lebanese Phalange put William Hawi up for the Beirut Municipal Council in the Achrafieh-Rmeil region, where he obtained the largest number of votes. In 1957, Hawi presented himself to the legislative elections but failed.
In 1975, Hawi was leading operations against the Palestinians on the Souks of Beirut, Karantina, Jisr el Basha, Dekwaneh, Galerie Semaan and what is known as the "Battle of the Hotels".
On July 1, 1976, sources of the Lebanese Christian militias announced the fall of the last bastion in Tel el-Zaatar and declared that the Head of the Phalange War Council supervised this operation.