Selim al-Hoss
Encyclopedia
Selim Ahmed El-Hoss (born 1929) is a veteran Lebanese
politician. He was a Prime Minister of Lebanon and a longtime Member of Parliament representing his hometown, Beirut
.
and a PhD in business and economics from Indiana University
in the United States
. He is known as a technocrat
.
, served as prime minister of Lebanon four times. The first was from 1976 until 1980 during the first years of the Lebanese Civil War
. His second, and most controversial term, was from 1987 until 1989, when in 1988 he unconstitutionally nominated himself as prime minister but was recognized by many nations and statesmen of the international community. El-Hoss was chosen a third time to serve as prime minister by President Elias Hrawi from November 1989 until December 1990. He served as prime minister again from December 1998 to October 2000.
After losing his parliamentary seat to a previously unknown candidate running with former Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri in the Parliamentary elections of 2000, a frail Al-Hoss resigned as Prime Minister declaring an end to his political career.
In March 2005, he was considered as a candidate to form a new government following the resignation of Omar Karami
(Prime Minister again), but he reportedly refused to accept the position for health reasons, and Najib Mikati
was subsequently appointed.
During his last two terms as prime minister, he was also foreign minister
.
He is a member of the anti-imperalist conference Axis for Peace
.
Salem al-Hoss is a strong opponent of capital punishment
, and during his term as Prime Minister he refused to sign any execution warrants which put a temporary halt to executions in Lebanon, which remain rare. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3404691.stm
. On 22 September of that year, he refused to accept his dismissal in favour of General
Michel Aoun
, a Maronite Christian. The crisis was precipitated by the failure of the National Assembly to elect a new president (a post traditionally reserved for a Maronite).
Since the Lebanese constitution states that in such a situation, the outgoing president appoints a temporary prime minister to act as president during the course of a presidential vacancy, outgoing president Gemayel decided to appoint Maronite army commander Michel Aoun to that office, notwithstanding the tradition of reserving it for a Sunni Muslim. Al-Hoss refused to concede the prime minister's post to Aoun so the two ended up heading rival administrations; with Aoun occupying the presidential palace at Baabda
, al-Hoss set up his own office in Muslim-dominated West Beirut
.
Lebanon was thus left with no President and two rival governments: one constitutional and one not but recognized by many states. However, although Syria, at the time occupying much of Lebanon, supported Al-Hoss, and although Al-Hoss's government was already established and in operation, most of the international community dealt with administrations on both sides of the Green Line
and recognized both as Lebanon's prime ministers even though, constitutionally speaking, Aoun was the lawfully appointed prime minister and acting president of Lebanon.
The rival Prime Ministers soon came into violent conflict over the refusal of Michel Aoun to accept the presence of Syrian troops in Lebanon. Al-Hoss served as acting president (competing with Aoun's constitutional government) from 1988 until November 5, 1989, when René Moawad
took office. When Moawad was assassinated only seventeen days later, Al-Hoss served as acting president again for two days, until Elias Hrawi
was elected to succeed Moawad.
In 1990, the civil war ended when Aoun was forced to surrender following an attack on the presidential palace, where he was still holding out, by Syrian
and Lebanese military forces. Al-Hoss subsequently resigned as Prime Minister, in favour of Omar Karami
.
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. He was a Prime Minister of Lebanon and a longtime Member of Parliament representing his hometown, 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...
.
Education
El-Hoss received his undergraduate degree in Economics from the American University of BeirutAmerican University of Beirut
The American University of Beirut is a private, independent university in Beirut, Lebanon. It was founded as the Syrian Protestant College by American missionaries in 1866...
and a PhD in business and economics from Indiana University
Indiana University Bloomington
Indiana University Bloomington is a public research university located in Bloomington, Indiana, in the United States. IU Bloomington is the flagship campus of the Indiana University system. Being the flagship campus, IU Bloomington is often referred to simply as IU or Indiana...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. He is known as a technocrat
Technocracy (bureaucratic)
Technocracy is a form of government where technical experts are in control of decision making in their respective fields. Economists, engineers, scientists, health professionals, and those who have knowledge, expertise or skills would compose the governing body...
.
Political career
El-Hoss, a Sunni MuslimMuslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
, served as prime minister of Lebanon four times. The first was from 1976 until 1980 during the first years 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...
. His second, and most controversial term, was from 1987 until 1989, when in 1988 he unconstitutionally nominated himself as prime minister but was recognized by many nations and statesmen of the international community. El-Hoss was chosen a third time to serve as prime minister by President Elias Hrawi from November 1989 until December 1990. He served as prime minister again from December 1998 to October 2000.
After losing his parliamentary seat to a previously unknown candidate running with former Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri in the Parliamentary elections of 2000, a frail Al-Hoss resigned as Prime Minister declaring an end to his political career.
In March 2005, he was considered as a candidate to form a new government following the resignation of Omar Karami
Omar Karami
Omar Abdul Hamid Karami was the Prime Minister of Lebanon on two separate occasions...
(Prime Minister again), but he reportedly refused to accept the position for health reasons, and Najib Mikati
Najib Mikati
Najib Azmi Mikati is a Lebanese politician, billionaire and is the current Prime Minister of Lebanon since 13 June 2011. From April 2005 to July 2005 he was Prime Minister of Lebanon in a caretaker government...
was subsequently appointed.
During his last two terms as prime minister, he was also foreign minister
Foreign minister
A Minister of Foreign Affairs, or foreign minister, is a cabinet minister who helps form the foreign policy of a sovereign state. The foreign minister is often regarded as the most senior ministerial position below that of the head of government . It is often granted to the deputy prime minister in...
.
He is a member of the anti-imperalist conference Axis for Peace
Axis for Peace
Axis for Peace was a conference organised by Voltaire Network to"gather political and intellectual personalities... already committed against the war logic and who wish to install a permanent structure that could make the voice of peace be heard."...
.
Salem al-Hoss is a strong opponent of capital punishment
Capital punishment
Capital punishment, the death penalty, or execution is the sentence of death upon a person by the state as a punishment for an offence. Crimes that can result in a death penalty are known as capital crimes or capital offences. The term capital originates from the Latin capitalis, literally...
, and during his term as Prime Minister he refused to sign any execution warrants which put a temporary halt to executions in Lebanon, which remain rare. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3404691.stm
El-Hoss's second term
From January to September 1988, he boycotted meetings of his own Cabinet, in protest against the policies of President, Amine GemayelAmine 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...
. On 22 September of that year, he refused to accept his dismissal in favour of General
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
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...
, a Maronite Christian. The crisis was precipitated by the failure of the National Assembly to elect a new president (a post traditionally reserved for a Maronite).
Since the Lebanese constitution states that in such a situation, the outgoing president appoints a temporary prime minister to act as president during the course of a presidential vacancy, outgoing president Gemayel decided to appoint Maronite army commander Michel Aoun to that office, notwithstanding the tradition of reserving it for a Sunni Muslim. Al-Hoss refused to concede the prime minister's post to Aoun so the two ended up heading rival administrations; with Aoun occupying the presidential palace at Baabda
Baabda
Baabda is the capital city of Baabda District as well as the capital of Mount Lebanon Governorate, western Lebanon. Baabda was the capital city of the autonomous Ottoman Mount Lebanon....
, al-Hoss set up his own office in Muslim-dominated West 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...
.
Lebanon was thus left with no President and two rival governments: one constitutional and one not but recognized by many states. However, although Syria, at the time occupying much of Lebanon, supported Al-Hoss, and although Al-Hoss's government was already established and in operation, most of the international community dealt with administrations on both sides of the Green Line
Green Line (Lebanon)
The Green Line was a line of demarcation in Beirut, Lebanon during the Lebanese Civil War from 1975 to 1990. It separated the mainly Muslim factions in West Beirut from the Christian Lebanese Front in East Beirut. The appellation refers to the coloration of the foliage that grew because the space...
and recognized both as Lebanon's prime ministers even though, constitutionally speaking, Aoun was the lawfully appointed prime minister and acting president of Lebanon.
The rival Prime Ministers soon came into violent conflict over the refusal of Michel Aoun to accept the presence of Syrian troops in Lebanon. Al-Hoss served as acting president (competing with Aoun's constitutional government) from 1988 until November 5, 1989, when René Moawad
René Moawad
René Moawad was President of Lebanon for 17 days in 1989, from the 5th to the 22nd of November, when he was assassinated by unknowns. Syria accused Michel Aoun of the assassination....
took office. When Moawad was assassinated only seventeen days later, Al-Hoss served as acting president again for two days, until Elias Hrawi
Elias Hrawi
Elias Hrawi was a President of Lebanon, whose term of office ran from 1989 to 1998.He was a native of the Beqaa valley. He was elected on 24 November 1989, two days after the assassination of René Moawad, who had held office for just seventeen days...
was elected to succeed Moawad.
In 1990, the civil war ended when Aoun was forced to surrender following an attack on the presidential palace, where he was still holding out, by Syrian
Military of Syria
The Syrian Armed Forces are the military forces of Syria. They consist of the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Air Defense Force.-Manpower:The President of Syria is the commander in chief of the Syrian armed forces, comprising some 646,500 troops upon mobilization. The military is a conscripted force;...
and Lebanese military forces. Al-Hoss subsequently resigned as Prime Minister, in favour of Omar Karami
Omar Karami
Omar Abdul Hamid Karami was the Prime Minister of Lebanon on two separate occasions...
.
External links
- The official website of Dr. Salim al-Hoss (only in Arabic)
- Interview with Silvia Cattori (Voltaire NetworkVoltaire NetworkThe Réseau Voltaire is an international non-profit organisation, based in Paris. It stated aim is the promotion of freedom and secularism , that is separation of church and state, faith and politics...
)