In ideological terms, the Najjadah adopted early on a Pan-Arab nationalist line that strived for the suppression of all foreign influences (included that of the ruling colonial power in Lebanon, France), which deeply contrasted with the Phalange's own Phoenicist and pro-Western views.

[7][8] Although by the mid-1930s both Najjadah and Phalange Parties ostensibly vied for Lebanon's independence from France, their sectarian base and conflicting ideological/identitarian views over the Country's future ensured that they would become entangled in the bitter political Christian-Muslim disputes.

Believing that the time was ripe for action pressuring the weakened Vichy French mandatory authorities to accept full Lebanese independence, Adnan Al-Hakim and Pierre Gemayel agreed to put aside temporarily their political differences to form an anti-French united front, which began organizing joint large-scale demonstrations.

According to a Lebanese military intelligence report, by 1975 party membership had decreased to just 500 militants and fielded a poorly-armed militia of only 100 fighters backed by Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait and Egypt;[11] other sources however, still place their numbers as high as 300.

[15] Consequently, the Najjadah's own leadership refusal to continue to participate in the ongoing civil conflict eroded its already fragile popular support base, causing many of its disenchanted younger militants to abandon the Party to join the LNM militias.