On September 3, 2004, the National Assembly voted 96-29 to amend the constitution to allow the pro-Syrian president, Émile Lahoud, three more years in office by extending a statute of limitations to nine years.

The pro-Syrian president of Lebanon, however, Emile Lahoud, praised Mr. Nasrallah and Hezbollah for what he called their victory over Israel.

The pro-Syrian president of Lebanon, Émile Lahoud, praised him and Hezbollah this week for what he called their victory over Israel.

At the Hariri family's urging, Lebanon's pro-Syrian president, Émile Lahoud, stayed away from the funeral, but hundreds of women, breaking with Islamic tradition, joined in the march.

His long-running rivalry with Émile Lahoud, the pro-Syrian Lebanese president, defined much of his political career.

This is the third time in a decade that Syria has forced Lebanon to change its Constitution to ensure that there is a pro-Syrian president.

The attack prompted accusations of continued Syrian meddling in the country's affairs and opposition calls for the ouster of the pro-Syrian president.

Mr. Karami, the country's pro-Syrian prime minister, quit amid the protests last month, but was asked a few days later by the pro-Syrian president, Mr. Lahoud, to try again.

When Mr. Assad decided last fall to push the Parliament of Lebanon to extend the term of Émile Lahoud, the pro-Syrian president, tensions rose.

Opponents of Hezbollah wanted to discuss disarming Hezbollah's militia, and replacing the pro-Syrian president, Émile Lahoud, whose term was extended by Damascus.