The Kataeb Regulatory Forces – KRF or Forces Régulatoires des Kataeb (FRK) in French, were the military wing of the right-wing Lebanese Christian Kataeb Party, otherwise known as the 'Phalange', from 1961 to 1977. The Kataeb militia, which fought in the early years of the Lebanese Civil War, was the predecessor of the Lebanese Forces. The militia was also involved in massacres against Palestinians in Beirut, Karantina and Tel al-Zaatar.
Bashir Gemayel and William Hawi supervising the training of Kataeb militiamen at Tabrieh, 1972.
William Hawi with KRF junior commander Amine Gemayel at Tel al-Zaatar, 1976.
William Hawi with Kataeb militiamen at Tel al-Zaatar, 1976.
The Kataeb Party, officially the Kataeb Party – Lebanese Social Democratic Party, also known as the Phalanges, is a right-wing Christian political party in Lebanon founded by Pierre Gemayel in 1936. The party and its paramilitary wings played a major role in the Lebanese Civil War (1975–1990), opposing Palestinian forces in the country as well as collaborating with Israel. Pierre's youngest son Bachir, the leader of the party's militia, was elected President in 1982, but was assassinated before he could take office. He was succeeded by his older brother Amine, who led the party through much of the war. In decline in the late 1980s and 1990s, the party slowly re-emerged in the early 2000s and is currently part of the Lebanese opposition. The party currently holds 4 out of the 128 seats in the Lebanese Parliament.
Pierre Gemayel and William Hawi celebrating the anniversary of the Kataeb in 1971.
Protesters at Pierre Amine Gemayel's funeral
Pierre Gemayel and William Hawi, Chief of the Kataeb Security Council