Jean Obeid

Jean Obeid
Minister of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants
In office 17 April 2003 – 26 October 2004
Prime Minister	Rafik Hariri
Preceded by	Mahmoud Hammoud
Succeeded by	Mahmoud Hammoud
Personal details
Born	8 May 1939 Alma, Lebanon
Nationality	Lebanese
Religion	Christianity

Jean Obeid (born 8 May 1939) is a Lebanese journalist and politician, who served at different cabinet posts last of which was foreign minister of Lebanon from 2003 to 2004.^[1]

Early life

Obeid hails from a Maronite family.^[2][3] He was born in Alma, a village in the Zgharta district, on 8 May 1939.^[4][5][6]

Career

Obeid is a journalist^[7] He started his career in journalism, where he held several high-level positions in various newspapers and magazines. He was an advisor on Arab affairs to two former Lebanese Presidents, Elias Sarkis and Amin Gemayel (1983-1987).^[4] Gemayel also appointed him special envoy to Syria.^[8][9] On 11 February 1987, Obeid met with Parliament Speaker Hussein Husseini and was kidnapped by nine gunmen in west Beirut.^[10][11] Obeid was freed unhurt after four days.^[12]

Obeid served as a member of the parliament, representing Chouf from 1991 to 1992 and Tripoli from 1992 to 2005.^[2][3] He served as minister of state in the cabinet led by Prime Minister Rafik Hariri in 1993. Then he was named as the minister of national education, youth and sports.^[13] He was in office from 1996 to 1998. On 17 April 2003, he was appointed foreign minister in a reshuffle to the last cabinet of Hariri, replacing Mahmoud Hammoud in the post.^[2][14][15] Obeid's tenure ended in 2004 and he was succeeded by Mahmoud Hammoud as foreign minister.^[4][15] In 2008, he ran for the presidential elections and was considered to be possible consensus candidate.^[4] Jean Obeid was a candidate for President of Lebanon and participated in the Lebanese presidential election, 2014.

Personal life

Obeid is married and has five children.

References

1. "Foreign ministers". Rulers. Retrieved 30 March 2013.
2. "Lebanon: Ex-foreign Minister Positions Himself as Centrist for Presidency". Wikileaks. 18 November 2006. Retrieved 8 March 2013.
3. Maraoun, Nassif. "Six candidates and one satisfactory seat. All of them extra-judicial". Tayyar. Retrieved 8 March 2013.
4. "Meet Lebanon's leading presidential candidates". Ya Libnan. 24 September 2007. Retrieved 8 March 2013.
5. Kechichian, Joseph A. (23 September 2007). "The wait for a leader". Ya Libnan. Retrieved 16 March 2013.
6. "Lebanon leading presidential candidates". Lebanon Wire. 23 September 2007. Retrieved 24 March 2013.
7. "FPM PM: Salam plans to form a cabinet of ghosts". Ya Libnan. 12 April 2013. Retrieved 13 April 2013.
8. Eric J. Schmertz; Natalie Datlof; Alexej Ugrinsky (1997). President Reagan and the world. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 53. ISBN 978-0-313-30115-5. Retrieved 8 March 2013.
9. Copps, Alan (6 April 1984). "Lebanese, Syrian leaders to hold summit meeting". Observer Reporter. Beirut. IP. Retrieved 24 March 2013.
10. "Gemayel adviser taken captive in west Beirut". The Pittsburgh Press. 12 February 1987. Retrieved 24 March 2013.
11. "Gemayel Adviser Reported Kidnaped in Beirut". Los Angeles Times. Beirut. 13 February 1987. Retrieved 1 April 2013.
12. Salameh, Rima (16 February 1987). "Druse chief says Waite being held by Shiites". Schenectady Gazette. Beirut. AP. Retrieved 24 March 2013.
13. "Hariri forms new government in Lebanon". Asia Africa Intelligence Wire. 17 April 2003. Retrieved 4 July 2013.
14. "Lebanon's new Cabinet: Members list, observations". Lebanonwire. 18 April 2003. Retrieved 8 March 2013.
15. Rola el Husseini (15 October 2012). Pax Syriana: Elite Politics in Postwar Lebanon. Syracuse University Press. p. 250. ISBN 978-0-8156-3304-4. Retrieved 8 March 2013.