Rashid Karami and the Palestinians: Lebanon’s Foreign Policy from 1958 Until 1976

Rashid Karami, Lebanon’s longest-serving prime minister, had a long and distinguished political career. Since the late 1950s, Karami supported the Palestinian cause, which became a more pressing issue following the 1967 Arab–Israeli War. He envisioned integrating Palestinians into the Lebanese polity as part of a broader plan to align Lebanon with the Arab world. His consistency in this vision, beyond just the Palestinian issue, cemented his role as the leading Lebanese Sunni za’im (leader). This article examines how and why Karami prioritized the Palestinian cause within Lebanese politics.