Elie Hobeika
Encyclopedia
Elie Hobeika (Arabic: إيلي حبيقة) was a Lebanese
Phalangist and Lebanese Forces
militia commander during the Lebanese Civil War
, and former MP
. Hobeika gained notoriety when, as the leader of the Phalangist forces, he directed the massacre in the Sabra and Shatila refugee camps
on the outskirts of Beirut
in 1982.
, he was said to have been deeply influenced by the massacre
of much of his family and of his fiancée by Palestinian
militiamen at Damour
in 1976. In 1978, after leaving school, he joined the Banco do Brasil
. At that time he was already involved with the Phalanges movement. He married Gina Raymond Nachaty in 1981. They had a son, Joseph.
and the Druze
Progressive Socialist Party
met in Damascus
reaching agreement on political reforms as well as special relations with Syria
.
However on 15 January 1986, President Amine Gemayel
and Samir Geagea
organised a coup against Hobeika thus rendering the agreement null and void.
Over the next few years as support for the Lebanese Forces declined, and in 1984, Samir Geagea, Karim Pakradouni
, and Hobeika forced the resignation of the then commander of the Lebanese Forces, Fuad Abu Nader. Fouad Abu Nader was considered too close to Amine Gemayel
(Gemayel's nephew). Amine, unlike his brother Bachir
was disliked by all the LF leaders. Elie Hobeika was named head of the LF after Abou Nader's removal.
Hobeika was besieged in his Qarantina headquarters by Geagea's men (Elias Murr
was trapped with Hobeika in the same building) and was evacuated by Michel Aoun
after strong US pressure. He and his supporters fled to Zahlé
and were stationed there.In 1990 Hobeika supported the parliamentary faction against Syria in the war initiated by Michel Aoun.
After the civil war ended in 1990 Hobeika became Minister for the Displaced. In October 1992 he was appointed Minister for Social Affairs and the Handicapped. He was reassigned to the Ministry of Electricity and Water in 1996, a period which saw massive power projects in Baddawi and Zahrani, Zouk
and Baalbeck, and massive electrical grid installation and distribution throughout Lebanon, including the outlying areas still in turmoil with Israeli Forces in the south, hence the progress was too slow compared to the massive increase in the Megawatts needed, since little electricity projects were accomplished over 18 years of civil unrest, mainly because of the Israeli Operation Grapes of Wrath
. In 1998, General Emile Lahoud
became president of Lebanon and appointed Selim Hoss Prime Minister. In 2000 Hobeika lost his parliament seat, due to active Syrian interference against him in the election.
In 1983, an Israeli state inquiry named Hobeika as the man who personally directed the Sabra and Shatila massacre
. In June 2001, Chibli Mallat
, a left-wing Maronite lawyer, filed a case against Ariel Sharon
in Belgium under a law that allowed foreigners to be sued for crimes against humanity. Just before his death, Hobeika publicly declared his intention to testify against Sharon about his involvement in the Sabra and Shatila massacre in the Belgian court. Josy Dubié
, a Belgian senator, was quoted as saying that Hobeika had told him several days before his death that he had "revelations" to disclose about the massacres and felt "threatened". When Dubié had asked him why he did not reveal all the facts he knew immediately, Hobeika is reported to have said: "I am saving them for the trial". At a news conference, he said, "I am very interested that the [Belgium] trial starts because my innocence is a core issue."
.
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...
Phalangist and Lebanese Forces
Lebanese Forces
The Lebanese Forces is a Lebanese political party. Founded as a militia by Bachir Gemayel during the Lebanese Civil War, the movement fought as the main militia within the Christian-dominated Lebanese Front...
militia commander during 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...
, and former MP
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
. Hobeika gained notoriety when, as the leader of the Phalangist forces, he directed the massacre in the Sabra and Shatila refugee camps
Sabra and Shatila massacre
The Sabra and Shatila massacre took place in the Sabra and Shatila Palestinian refugee camps in Beirut, Lebanon between September 16 and September 18, 1982, during the Lebanese civil war. Palestinian and Lebanese civilians were massacred in the camps by Christian Lebanese Phalangists while the camp...
on the outskirts of Beirut
Beirut
Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
in 1982.
Personal life
Hobeika was born in Kleiat, Lebanon. According to The GuardianThe Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
, he was said to have been deeply influenced by the massacre
Massacre
A massacre is an event with a heavy death toll.Massacre may also refer to:-Entertainment:*Massacre , a DC Comics villain*Massacre , a 1932 drama film starring Richard Barthelmess*Massacre, a 1956 Western starring Dane Clark...
of much of his family and of his fiancée by Palestinian
Palestinian people
The Palestinian people, also referred to as Palestinians or Palestinian Arabs , are an Arabic-speaking people with origins in Palestine. Despite various wars and exoduses, roughly one third of the world's Palestinian population continues to reside in the area encompassing the West Bank, the Gaza...
militiamen at Damour
Damour
Damour is a Lebanese Christian town that is 24 kilometres south of Beirut. The name of the town is derived from the name of the Phoenician god Damoros who symbolized immortality ....
in 1976. In 1978, after leaving school, he joined the Banco do Brasil
Banco do Brasil
Banco do Brasil S.A. is the largest Brazilian and Latin American bank by assets, and the third by market value. The bank, headquartered in Brasília, was founded in 1808 and is the oldest active bank in Brazil — and one of the oldest financial institutions in the world.Banco do Brasil is controlled...
. At that time he was already involved with the Phalanges movement. He married Gina Raymond Nachaty in 1981. They had a son, Joseph.
The Tripartite Agreement
The Tripartite Agreement was intended to end the Lebanese conflict. In December 1985, the various Christian militias, the Shiite Amal MovementAmal Movement
Amal Movement is short for the Lebanese Resistance Detachments the acronym for which, in Arabic, is "amal", meaning "hope."Amal was founded in 1975 as the militia wing of the Movement of the Disinherited, a Shi'a political movement founded by Musa...
and the Druze
Druze
The Druze are an esoteric, monotheistic religious community, found primarily in Syria, Lebanon, Israel, and Jordan, which emerged during the 11th century from Ismailism. The Druze have an eclectic set of beliefs that incorporate several elements from Abrahamic religions, Gnosticism, Neoplatonism...
Progressive Socialist Party
Progressive Socialist Party
The Progressive Socialist Party or PSP , also known as Parti Socialiste Progressiste in French, is a political party in Lebanon. Its current leader is Walid Jumblatt...
met in Damascus
Damascus
Damascus , commonly known in Syria as Al Sham , and as the City of Jasmine , is the capital and the second largest city of Syria after Aleppo, both are part of the country's 14 governorates. In addition to being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Damascus is a major...
reaching agreement on political reforms as well as special relations with Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
.
However on 15 January 1986, President Amine Gemayel
Amine Gemayel
Amine Pierre Gemayel was President of Lebanon from 1982 to 1988 and is the leader of Kataeb Party.Born in the Lebanese village of Bikfaya, Amine Gemayel is the son of Pierre Gemayel, founder of the Kataeb Party...
and Samir Geagea
Samir Geagea
Samir Farid Geagea , born October 25, 1952, is a Lebanese politician. He is also a senior figure in the March 14 Alliance, alongside Saad Hariri and Amine Gemayel....
organised a coup against Hobeika thus rendering the agreement null and void.
Lebanese Civil War
Already in July 1977 Hobeika, then only known under the pseudonym "Chef Edward" led a massacre against civilians and Palestinian militants in the south Lebanese village Yarin, where about 80 people of which probably 20 to 30 were civilians were lined up in front of the school and shot.Over the next few years as support for the Lebanese Forces declined, and in 1984, Samir Geagea, Karim Pakradouni
Karim Pakradouni
Karim Pakradouni , born in Beirut on August 18, 1944 to an Armenian Orthodox father and Maronite Catholic mother, is a Lebanese Christian attorney and politician. He has been a leading figure in the Kataeb Party since 1968 when he became head of its student wing...
, and Hobeika forced the resignation of the then commander of the Lebanese Forces, Fuad Abu Nader. Fouad Abu Nader was considered too close to Amine Gemayel
Amine Gemayel
Amine Pierre Gemayel was President of Lebanon from 1982 to 1988 and is the leader of Kataeb Party.Born in the Lebanese village of Bikfaya, Amine Gemayel is the son of Pierre Gemayel, founder of the Kataeb Party...
(Gemayel's nephew). Amine, unlike his brother Bachir
Bachir Gemayel
Bachir Gemayel was a Lebanese politician, militia commander, and president-elect...
was disliked by all the LF leaders. Elie Hobeika was named head of the LF after Abou Nader's removal.
Hobeika was besieged in his Qarantina headquarters by Geagea's men (Elias Murr
Elias Murr
Elias Murr is the former Lebanese Defense Minister and Deputy Prime Minister. He held the positions of Deputy Prime minister and Interior Minister in previous Cabinets....
was trapped with Hobeika in the same building) and was evacuated by Michel Aoun
Michel Aoun
Michel Naim Aoun is a former Lebanese Army Commander and he is one of the allies of Hezbollah. From 22 September 1988 to 13 October 1990, he has served as Prime Minister of the legal one of two rival governments that contended for power. He declared "The Liberation War" against the Syrian...
after strong US pressure. He and his supporters fled to Zahlé
Zahlé
Zahlé is the capital and largest city of Beqaa Governorate, Lebanon. With around 50,000 inhabitants, it is the fourth largest city in Lebanon, after Beirut, Tripoli and Jounieh...
and were stationed there.In 1990 Hobeika supported the parliamentary faction against Syria in the war initiated by Michel Aoun.
After the civil war ended in 1990 Hobeika became Minister for the Displaced. In October 1992 he was appointed Minister for Social Affairs and the Handicapped. He was reassigned to the Ministry of Electricity and Water in 1996, a period which saw massive power projects in Baddawi and Zahrani, Zouk
Zouk
Zouk is a style of rhythmic music originating from the Caribbean islands of Guadeloupe & Martinique. Zouk means "party" or "festival" in the local Antillean Creole of French, although the word originally referred to, and is still used to refer to, a popular dance, based on the Polish dance, the...
and Baalbeck, and massive electrical grid installation and distribution throughout Lebanon, including the outlying areas still in turmoil with Israeli Forces in the south, hence the progress was too slow compared to the massive increase in the Megawatts needed, since little electricity projects were accomplished over 18 years of civil unrest, mainly because of the Israeli Operation Grapes of Wrath
Operation Grapes of Wrath
Operation Grapes of Wrath is the Israeli Defense Forces code-name for a sixteen-day campaign against Lebanon in 1996 in an attempt to end shelling of Northern Israel by Hezbollah. Israel conducted more than 1,100 air raids and extensive shelling...
. In 1998, General Emile Lahoud
Émile Lahoud
General Émile Jamil Lahoud is a former President of Lebanon. Lahoud is a Maronite-Catholic, as is required for the Lebanese presidency. Under Lebanon's unwritten constitutional agreement, the National Pact, the presidency is earmarked for Maronite_Catholic, the parliament speaker's post for a Shia...
became president of Lebanon and appointed Selim Hoss Prime Minister. In 2000 Hobeika lost his parliament seat, due to active Syrian interference against him in the election.
In 1983, an Israeli state inquiry named Hobeika as the man who personally directed the Sabra and Shatila massacre
Sabra and Shatila massacre
The Sabra and Shatila massacre took place in the Sabra and Shatila Palestinian refugee camps in Beirut, Lebanon between September 16 and September 18, 1982, during the Lebanese civil war. Palestinian and Lebanese civilians were massacred in the camps by Christian Lebanese Phalangists while the camp...
. In June 2001, Chibli Mallat
Chibli Mallat
Chibli Mallat is a human rights lawyer and a former candidate for presidency in Lebanon.-Career:In his law practice, he is best known for bringing the case of Victims of Sabra and Shatila v...
, a left-wing Maronite lawyer, filed a case against Ariel Sharon
Ariel Sharon
Ariel Sharon is an Israeli statesman and retired general, who served as Israel’s 11th Prime Minister. He has been in a permanent vegetative state since suffering a stroke on 4 January 2006....
in Belgium under a law that allowed foreigners to be sued for crimes against humanity. Just before his death, Hobeika publicly declared his intention to testify against Sharon about his involvement in the Sabra and Shatila massacre in the Belgian court. Josy Dubié
Josy Dubié
Josy Dubié is a Belgian politician and a member of Ecolo. He was a member of the Belgian Senate from 1999 to 2003, and from 2005 to 2009.-Notes:...
, a Belgian senator, was quoted as saying that Hobeika had told him several days before his death that he had "revelations" to disclose about the massacres and felt "threatened". When Dubié had asked him why he did not reveal all the facts he knew immediately, Hobeika is reported to have said: "I am saving them for the trial". At a news conference, he said, "I am very interested that the [Belgium] trial starts because my innocence is a core issue."
Assassination
Hobeika was killed on 24 January 2002 at the age of 45 in a huge car bomb attack near his house in the Beirut suburb of HazmiyehHazmiyeh
Hazmiyeh is a town in Mount Lebanon Governorate of Lebanon, and a suburb of Beirut....
.
See also
- Promise PartyPromise PartyThe Promise Party, also known as Waad Party is a Lebanese political party founded by former Lebanese Forces officer Elie Hobeika in 1986....
- Lebanese ForcesLebanese ForcesThe Lebanese Forces is a Lebanese political party. Founded as a militia by Bachir Gemayel during the Lebanese Civil War, the movement fought as the main militia within the Christian-dominated Lebanese Front...
- Lebanese Forces – Executive Command
- Lebanese Civil WarLebanese Civil WarThe 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...