Predominantly occupied by Muslims, West Beirut is located atop Al-Musayitibah. During the civil war, West Beiurt was heavily damaged from fighting between Israeli forces and members of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). West Beirut is now the target for large-scale reconstruction.

After Beirut became the capital of the Christian-dominated Lebanon in 1920, Muslims began to separate themselves from the Christian population in Beirut. Increasing tensions between the Muslims and Christians eventually ended in a 15 year long civil war and the almost complete division of Beirut.

Separated from East Beirut by the "Green Line," West Beirut is often stigmatized as being "disorganized, dangerous, overrun with terrorists, and under the control of renegade countries."