Yacoub Sarraf
Encyclopedia
Yacoub Riad Sarraf (born 1961) is a Lebanese
politician. He was born in the town of Miniara
in the Akkar district of northern Lebanon.
Sarraf, who is a Greek Orthodox Christian, has degrees in civil engineering and architecture from the American University of Beirut
. He is married and has two children. Sarraf worked for companies in Greece, France, and Lebanon before being named governor of Beirut
in 1999. In 2003 he became governor of Mount Lebanon
.
Close to President Émile Lahoud
, he was involved in numerous political clashes with the Beirut municipal council and with Rafiq Hariri.
Émile Lahoud had him appointed Minister of the Environment in the Fouad Siniora
government formed in July 2005.
He held the post of Minister of Defense in an interim capacity while Elias Murr
was convalescing from an assassination attempt of July 12, 2005.
As Environment Minister he strongly denounced the oil spill
caused by Israeli bombardment of the Jiyeh
thermal power station
during the Israel-Lebanon conflict.
He submitted his resignation from the cabinet on November 11, 2006, but Prime Minister Fouad Siniora
has rejected the resignation.
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 born in the town of Miniara
Miniara
MINIARA is a village in the Mouhafazah of Akkar, North Lebanon, 9 kilometers east of the Mediterranean Sea, and 3 kilometers south of Halba. The population is between 7,000 and 10,000...
in the Akkar district of northern Lebanon.
Sarraf, who is a Greek Orthodox Christian, has degrees in civil engineering and architecture from the American University of Beirut
American 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...
. He is married and has two children. Sarraf worked for companies in Greece, France, and Lebanon before being named governor 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 1999. In 2003 he became governor of Mount Lebanon
Mount Lebanon Governorate
Mount Lebanon is one of the Governorates of Lebanon. Its capital is Baabda. The overwhelming majority of its population is Maronites, Greek Orthodox, and Melkite Greek Catholic Christians...
.
Close to President Émile 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...
, he was involved in numerous political clashes with the Beirut municipal council and with Rafiq Hariri.
Émile Lahoud had him appointed Minister of the Environment in the 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...
government formed in July 2005.
He held the post of Minister of Defense in an interim capacity while 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 convalescing from an assassination attempt of July 12, 2005.
As Environment Minister he strongly denounced the oil spill
Jiyeh power station oil spill
The Jiyeh Power Station oil spill is an environmental disaster caused by the release of heavy fuel oil into the eastern Mediterranean after storage tanks at the thermal power station in Jiyeh, Lebanon, south of Beirut, were bombed by the Israeli Air force on July 14 and July 15, 2006 during the...
caused by Israeli bombardment of the Jiyeh
Jieh
Jieh is a seaside town in Lebanon with an estimated population of 5000, 23 km south of Beirut, in the Chouf district via a 20 minute drive along the Beirut to Sidon highway south of the capital. In Phoenician times it was known as Porphyreon and was a thriving natural seaport, which still...
thermal power station
Thermal power station
A thermal power station is a power plant in which the prime mover is steam driven. Water is heated, turns into steam and spins a steam turbine which drives an electrical generator. After it passes through the turbine, the steam is condensed in a condenser and recycled to where it was heated; this...
during the Israel-Lebanon conflict.
He submitted his resignation from the cabinet on November 11, 2006, but Prime Minister 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...
has rejected the resignation.