The PLO chairman now knows that he must leave Lebanon as his fighters are surrounded by the Israelis. The Syrian president is no friend, but agrees to take them in.

With an eye on the Lebanese presidency, the Phalange commander and sworn enemy of Syria sends secret messages of 'reassurance' to al-Assad. Meanwhile, Damascus refuses to host PLO fighters.

US envoy Phillip Habib proposes a plan to facilitate the PLO's exit from Beirut. Meanwhile, the Phalange party vows to end Lebanon's 'three occupations'.

It is June 1982, and Beirut is surrounded by the Israelis. In the city, there are Syrian soldiers and Palestinian fighters from Yasser Arafat's PLO. The Israelis want them both out. Cue the diplomacy.

Al Majalla begins its five-part series revealing never-before-shared details of Israel's 1982 siege of Beirut and exchanges between Hafez al-Assad and Yasser Arafat

When the PLO leader was forced out of Beirut in the 1980s, he did so with pride, purpose, and sorrow. After signals that Hamas leaders may be exiled from Gaza, could history be a guide?

Al-Qaeda considers itself the springboard from which all jihadist groups emerged, but today, it is very bankrupt, weak and losing popularity to other jihadist groups.

The founding King of Saudi Arabia knew that the Arab armies were weak and could be easily defeated because they were young and inexperienced

A recently declassified document drawn up in 1947 highlights how US intelligence predicted war and Israel's ongoing need for support while worrying about its impact on American interests in the region

Mussolini and his mistress were captured and summarily executed by firing squad at Lake Como on 28 April 1945. On his 79th death anniversary, Al Majalla explores why some people still idolise him.