Ahmad Fatfat
Encyclopedia
Ahmad Fatfat (born March 28, 1953) is a Lebanese
politician from Danniyeh (Sîr ed Dannîyé), North Lebanon. He was the Minister of Youth and Sports in the cabinet of Prime Minister
Fouad Siniora
. From February to November 2006 he was the interim Interior Minister and considered the Tea Minister by many Lebanese in the same cabinet. He is seen as being opposed to Syrian involvement in Lebanon.
. He first emerged onto the Lebanese political scene as a candidate for the Lebanese Parliament in the first parliamentary elections in Lebanon after the end of the Lebanese civil war
, in 1992. Fatfat failed to reach parliament that year, but succeeded in the next elections in 1996, with backing from Rafik Hariri
and his Future Movement. Fatfat was re-elected to office in 2000, breaking into parliament as the highest vote-getter in his district of Dannyieh, North Lebanon. As the Future Movement's candidate he defeated future vice Prime Minister Issam Fares
with a large margin. Fatfat's activism and involvement with Hariri, and his more vocal role during the turbulent period following the assassination of Hariri, catapulted him along with all the March 14 Alliance
candidates to a sweep of all of North Lebanon's 28 parliamentary seats.
, he became interim Interior Minister, a position he held until November 14 of the same year when Sabeh reclaimed his office following the assassination of Industry Minister Pierre Amine Gemayel
.
Following the burning of the Danish embassy and of several churches in East Beirut's Christian boroughs in February 2006 (at the time of the Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy
), Fatfat accused "radical Shiite elements" and "Christian troublemakers allied with the Syrian regime". He later had to retract this statement when it turned out that all of the anti-Christian rioters arrested on that day by the Lebanese police were radical Sunni Islamists, many of them members of minister Fatfat's own Future Movement.
During the 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict
Tea Minsiter Fatfat defended the Lebanese soldiers who were filmed while serving tea to Israeli troops, saying: "This force is not on a combat mission." This episode is often ridiculed by Fatfat's political opponents. In the same year, Fatfat caused large controversy over his approval of Hizb ut-Tahrir
's right to operate openly in Lebanon and call for the re-establishment of the Islamic Caliphate in the Islamic world.
On June 15 2007, two Lebanese news anchors from the Lebanese television station NBN owned by Nabih Berri
were sacked after being overheard saying that, in the wake of the murder of Walid Eido
, Fatfat would "be next." Apparently unaware that their microphones were still on, a female news anchor was heard saying "Ahmed Fatfat will be next. I'm counting them off." When her male colleague tells her not to gloat, she replies "It's not gloating. But we've had enough of them." Clips of the incident have been shown widely on the internet. Ahmad Fatfat has said he fears for his life and plans to sue NBN.
In 2009 elections, Fatfat retained his parliamentary seat and remains member of the Future Movement Bloc and the parliamentary majority.
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
politician from Danniyeh (Sîr ed Dannîyé), North Lebanon. He was the Minister of Youth and Sports in the cabinet of Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
Fouad Siniora
Fouad Siniora
Fuad Siniora is a Lebanese politician, a former Prime Minister of Lebanon, a position he held from 19 July 2005 to May 25, 2008 the date of the election of the new President of Lebanon; he was renominated to the post on 28 May 2008 and held the post as Acting President between those...
. From February to November 2006 he was the interim Interior Minister and considered the Tea Minister by many Lebanese in the same cabinet. He is seen as being opposed to Syrian involvement in Lebanon.
Biography
Born to one of the biggest families in Danniyeh, Fatfat holds a degree in medicine and lives in TripoliTripoli, Lebanon
Tripoli is the largest city in northern Lebanon and the second-largest city in Lebanon. Situated 85 km north of the capital Beirut, Tripoli is the capital of the North Governorate and the Tripoli District. Geographically located on the east of the Mediterranean, the city's history dates back...
. He first emerged onto the Lebanese political scene as a candidate for the Lebanese Parliament in the first parliamentary elections in Lebanon after the end of the Lebanese civil war
Lebanese Civil War
The Lebanese Civil War was a multifaceted civil war in Lebanon. The war lasted from 1975 to 1990 and resulted in an estimated 150,000 to 230,000 civilian fatalities. Another one million people were wounded, and today approximately 350,000 people remain displaced. There was also a mass exodus of...
, in 1992. Fatfat failed to reach parliament that year, but succeeded in the next elections in 1996, with backing from Rafik Hariri
Rafik Hariri
Rafic Baha El Deen Al-Hariri , was a business tycoon and the Prime Minister of Lebanon from 1992 to 1998 and again from 2000 until his resignation, 20 October 2004.He headed five cabinets during his tenure...
and his Future Movement. Fatfat was re-elected to office in 2000, breaking into parliament as the highest vote-getter in his district of Dannyieh, North Lebanon. As the Future Movement's candidate he defeated future vice Prime Minister Issam Fares
Issam Fares
Issam Michael Fares is a prominent Lebanese businessman, a former member of the Lebanese Parliament and served as Deputy Prime Minister of Lebanon from 2000 to 2005....
with a large margin. Fatfat's activism and involvement with Hariri, and his more vocal role during the turbulent period following the assassination of Hariri, catapulted him along with all the March 14 Alliance
March 14 Alliance
The March 14 alliance , named after the date of the Cedar Revolution, is a coalition of political parties and independents in Lebanon that call for sovereignty over all Lebanese territories, led by MP Saad Hariri, younger son of Rafik Hariri, the assassinated former prime minister of Lebanon, as...
candidates to a sweep of all of North Lebanon's 28 parliamentary seats.
Minister of the Lebanese Government
In June 2005, Fatfat was appointed as the Minister of Youth and Sports in Fouad Siniora's first cabinet. On February 5 2006, after the resignation of Hassan SabehHassan Sabeh
Major General Hassan Sabeh is a Lebanese politician and was the Interior Minister in the 2005 cabinet of Prime Minister Fouad Siniora....
, he became interim Interior Minister, a position he held until November 14 of the same year when Sabeh reclaimed his office following the assassination of Industry Minister Pierre Amine Gemayel
Pierre Amine Gemayel
Pierre Amine Gemayel was a Lebanese politician in the Kataeb Party, better known in English as the Phalange Party. Lebanon's second-youngest MP, he was a rising star in his party...
.
Following the burning of the Danish embassy and of several churches in East Beirut's Christian boroughs in February 2006 (at the time of the Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy
Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy
The Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy began after 12 editorial cartoons, most of which depicted the Islamic prophet Muhammad, were published in the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten on 30 September 2005...
), Fatfat accused "radical Shiite elements" and "Christian troublemakers allied with the Syrian regime". He later had to retract this statement when it turned out that all of the anti-Christian rioters arrested on that day by the Lebanese police were radical Sunni Islamists, many of them members of minister Fatfat's own Future Movement.
During the 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict
2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict
The 2006 Lebanon War, also called the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah War and known in Lebanon as the July War #Other uses|Tammūz]]) and in Israel as the Second Lebanon War , was a 34-day military conflict in Lebanon, northern Israel and the Israeli-occupied territories. The principal parties were Hezbollah...
Tea Minsiter Fatfat defended the Lebanese soldiers who were filmed while serving tea to Israeli troops, saying: "This force is not on a combat mission." This episode is often ridiculed by Fatfat's political opponents. In the same year, Fatfat caused large controversy over his approval of Hizb ut-Tahrir
Hizb ut-Tahrir
Hizb ut-Tahrir is an international Sunni. pan-Islamic political organisation but keeps it open for all including shias,some of its beliefs are against sunni school of thought, whose goal is for all Muslim countries to unify as an Islamic state or caliphate ruled by Islamic law and with a caliph...
's right to operate openly in Lebanon and call for the re-establishment of the Islamic Caliphate in the Islamic world.
On June 15 2007, two Lebanese news anchors from the Lebanese television station NBN owned by Nabih Berri
Nabih Berri
Nabih Berri is the Speaker of the Parliament of Lebanon. He heads the mostly Shi'a Amal Movement.-Biography:He was born in Bo, Sierra Leone to Lebanese parents. He went to school in Tebnine and Ain Ebel in southern Lebanon and later studied at the Makassed and the Ecole de la Sagesse in Beirut...
were sacked after being overheard saying that, in the wake of the murder of Walid Eido
Walid Eido
Walid Eido was a Lebanese politician and member of the Current for the Future Lebanese political movement and an MP in the Lebanese Parliament. He was also a member of the March 14 Coalition...
, Fatfat would "be next." Apparently unaware that their microphones were still on, a female news anchor was heard saying "Ahmed Fatfat will be next. I'm counting them off." When her male colleague tells her not to gloat, she replies "It's not gloating. But we've had enough of them." Clips of the incident have been shown widely on the internet. Ahmad Fatfat has said he fears for his life and plans to sue NBN.
In 2009 elections, Fatfat retained his parliamentary seat and remains member of the Future Movement Bloc and the parliamentary majority.