Lebanon can draw strength from life of De Gaulle: Former French minister

Herve Gaymard, president of the Charles de Gaulle Foundation. (Supplied)
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  • Herve Gaymard, president of the Charles de Gaulle Foundation, says French attachment to Lebanon is strong
  • He says Greater Lebanon centennial is a chance to look back on the French statesman鈥檚 time in Lebanon

PARIS: Tuesday marks the centenary of the proclamation of Greater Lebanon. For Herve Gaymard, president of the Charles de Gaulle Foundation, former French Minister of Economy and Finance, and president of the Haute-Savoie departmental council, it is an opportunity not only to look back on the history of Franco-Lebanese relations, but also on de Gaulle鈥檚 brief stay in Lebanon.

鈥淟ike all French people, we are very attached to Lebanon,鈥� Gaymard told Arab News en Francais. 鈥淲e have always been closely linked to its history, especially since the 19th century, after the massacres of 1860 and the creation of the Moutassarifat in which Napoleon III was very involved. 鈥or us Gaullists, this (period) obviously has a very special resonance.鈥�

Gaymard said: 鈥淓veryone knows that General de Gaulle lived in Lebanon for two years, between 1929 and 1931, and that those years were very important in his life. Not only did he discover Lebanon and Syria, but he also went to British Palestine. At the time, he already had the issue of Jewish communities and Palestinians at heart.

鈥淗e also went to what was known as 鈥楪ezir茅鈥� or 鈥楿pper Mesopotamia,鈥� since we know that he went to the northeast of Syria when the demarcation between Turkey and Syria took place. British Mesopotamia later became Iraq. These two years were of great importance to de Gaulle.鈥�

Among the three moments in the Beirut years of De Gaulle that stand out in Gaymard鈥檚 view is the speech he gave at Saint Joseph University in front of Lebanese youth. 鈥淚t was no small matter for an officer who was not of high rank 鈥� de Gaulle was then an almost junior officer 鈥� to hold this astonishing conference with the Lebanese youth himself,鈥� Gaymard said. 鈥淭his was the general鈥檚 first Lebanese exposure.鈥�

Gaymard added: 鈥淭he second, obviously much more tragic, was the 1941 war against the Vichy troops, a fratricidal war between the French, which the elites and the Lebanese people had undoubtedly followed with great interest and sadness as well.

鈥淒e Gaulle鈥檚 third Lebanese moment was as President of the Republic, or rather as the last president of the Fourth French Republic. Indeed, when he returned to power at the beginning of June 1958, the summer crisis began in July, and everyone in Lebanon remembers it.

鈥淭hen came his politics as president of the Fifth Republic, until 1969, a period during which he forged very close ties with the Middle East, and Lebanon in particular. To us Gaullists, Lebanon is obviously of extreme importance. This is the reason why the Charles de Gaulle Foundation supports the project of a Charles de Gaulle Institute in Lebanon.鈥�

In regard to present-day Lebanon, Gaymard said he had 鈥渘o judgment to pass,鈥� 鈥渆specially since I love this country and its people and I am always in awe of the tenacity of this great people, who have gone through so many crises and upheavals.鈥�

Gaymard explained: 鈥淕eneral de Gaulle lived from 1890 to 1970, and we are in 2020. We no longer live in the same world. One would be tempted to believe that de Gaulle is ancient history, but that would be a mistake. Several sayings of the general are lessons for eternity.

鈥淭he first lesson applies just as well to Lebanon as it does to France: Never despair. You should never give up, let yourself be moved or impressed by events, however painful they may be. Stay the course. That is the meaning of the Appeal of June 18 (after the fall of France in 1940), and the meaning of his Christmas message to the children of France, December 25, 1941, when Germany, Japan and Italy seemed to be victorious over all fronts.鈥�

The second lesson, according to Gaymard, is knowing how to rely on your own strengths. 鈥淚t is true that you are nothing alone, but when you have faith in your body and soul, you can move mountains,鈥� he said.

鈥淔inally, de Gaulle鈥檚 third lesson is unity. Because any country divided against itself will perish. Charles de Gaulle had always had a love of unity, even if he himself did not enjoy unanimous backing. He suffered several assassination attempts. He lost his last referendum, which is why he left power.

鈥淪till, he was was an untiring advocate of unity. I believe that these are everlasting lessons for our two countries, Lebanon and France.鈥�