Boutros Harb
Encyclopedia
Boutros Harb (born in Tannourine
, Lebanon
in 1944), is a Lebanese
politician.
A lawyer by profession, he first held political office when elected in 1972 as the Maronite deputy for Batroun
, in the North Governorate
of Lebanon, being appointed Public Transport Minister for Labour and Minister of the National Education and Art Schools in 1979 in Salim El-Hoss's government, and remaining minister until 1980. From 1990 to 1992, Harb returned to the Education Ministry in the cabinet of Prime Minister Omar Karame.
He was credited with helping negotiate the Taef Agreement, which brought the Lebanese civil war
to an end by electing a power sharing agreement within the Lebanese Parliament.
He was a member of the opposition during the governments of Rafiq Hariri; in particular to Nassib Lahoud
, Salim El-Hoss, Omar Karami, Mohammad Youssef Beydoun and Hussein Husseini. He announced his candidacy for the Lebanese Presidency during the 1998 elections but withdrew his nomination the day the polls began. Émile Lahoud
was unanimously elected.
After a short period of support for the government of Salim El-Hoss in 1998, he rejoined the opposition. In 2000, he broke his alliance with Nayla Moawad
and Omar Karami, and allied himself at the election booth with Soleiman Franjieh Jr, and the Tripoli Bloc
of Mohammad Safadi and Najib Mikati
.
In 2001, one of the founding members of the gathering of Kornet Chehwane strongly expresses his opposition to the policies of the Hariri government and to Syrian hegemony. In 2004, Harb participated, with Nayla Moawad, Omar Karami, Salim El-Hoss, Hussein Husseini and Albert Mansour, in the creation of a National Face for Reform. In 2004, he declared himself a nominee for the Presidency of Lebanon, however due to a Syrian-engineered constitutional amendment extending the term of President Émile Lahoud, he was unable to run. He then broke his alliance with Omar Karami who he considered to be too pro-Syrian.
In 2007, Harb called for the integration of Hezbollah's military arm into the Lebanese Army
.
He has been elected Labor Minister in 2010
Tannourine
Tannourine is a Lebanese municipality located in the Batroun_District, part of the Mohafazah of North-Lebanon, 75 km from the capital Beirut.-Etymology:...
, Lebanon
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...
in 1944), is a Lebanese
Lebanese people
The Lebanese people are a nation and ethnic group of Levantine people originating in what is today the country of Lebanon, including those who had inhabited Mount Lebanon prior to the creation of the modern Lebanese state....
politician.
A lawyer by profession, he first held political office when elected in 1972 as the Maronite deputy for Batroun
Batroun
The coastal city of Batroun located in northern Lebanon is one of the oldest cities of the world. Batroun is home to a Lebanese Red Cross First Aid Center.- Etymology :...
, in the North Governorate
North Governorate
North Governorate is one of the governorates of Lebanon. Its capital is Tripoli.-Districts:The North Governorate is divided into districts, or aqdya...
of Lebanon, being appointed Public Transport Minister for Labour and Minister of the National Education and Art Schools in 1979 in Salim El-Hoss's government, and remaining minister until 1980. From 1990 to 1992, Harb returned to the Education Ministry in the cabinet of Prime Minister Omar Karame.
He was credited with helping negotiate the Taef Agreement, which brought 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...
to an end by electing a power sharing agreement within the Lebanese Parliament.
He was a member of the opposition during the governments of Rafiq Hariri; in particular to Nassib Lahoud
Nassib Lahoud
Nassib Lahoud is a Lebanese-Christian political figure born on 23 November 1944 in Baabdat - Matn, Lebanon. He has held various political posts including Ambassador to the USA, Member of Parliament and Minister of State...
, Salim El-Hoss, Omar Karami, Mohammad Youssef Beydoun and Hussein Husseini. He announced his candidacy for the Lebanese Presidency during the 1998 elections but withdrew his nomination the day the polls began. 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...
was unanimously elected.
After a short period of support for the government of Salim El-Hoss in 1998, he rejoined the opposition. In 2000, he broke his alliance with Nayla Moawad
Nayla Moawad
Nayla Moawad is a Lebanese politician. Outside of Lebanon, she is best known as the widow of former President René Moawad, who was assassinated on 22 November 1989. Within Lebanon, she is a high-profile politician in her own right, having served as a member of the National Assembly since 1991...
and Omar Karami, and allied himself at the election booth with Soleiman Franjieh Jr, and the Tripoli Bloc
Tripoli Bloc
The Tripoli Bloc is one of the political blocs present in the Lebanese Parliament. Nearly all members are deputies from Tripoli . At the last legislative elections, June 2005, the bloc was part of the March 14 Alliance and the Rafik Hariri Martyr List that won the elections.The members:* Mohamad...
of Mohammad Safadi 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...
.
In 2001, one of the founding members of the gathering of Kornet Chehwane strongly expresses his opposition to the policies of the Hariri government and to Syrian hegemony. In 2004, Harb participated, with Nayla Moawad, Omar Karami, Salim El-Hoss, Hussein Husseini and Albert Mansour, in the creation of a National Face for Reform. In 2004, he declared himself a nominee for the Presidency of Lebanon, however due to a Syrian-engineered constitutional amendment extending the term of President Émile Lahoud, he was unable to run. He then broke his alliance with Omar Karami who he considered to be too pro-Syrian.
Cedar revolution - present
In 2005 after the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri,. Harb joined the massive protests and demonstrations against the Syrian occupation of Lebanon and demanded that Syrian troops withdraw immediately. Like many other, he accused the Syrian regime of ordering the death of Rafiq Hariri. As a member of the 14 March Alliance, he was one of the several candidates to run for the Lebanese Presidency in 2008 but all major parties decided to elect a compromise candidate, Michel Sleiman.In 2007, Harb called for the integration of Hezbollah's military arm into the Lebanese Army
Lebanese Armed Forces
The Lebanese Armed Forces or Forces Armées Libanaises in French, also known as the Lebanese Army according to its official Website The Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) (Arabic: القوات المسلحة اللبنانية | Al-Quwwāt al-Musallaḥa al-Lubnāniyya) or Forces Armées Libanaises in French, also known as the...
.
He has been elected Labor Minister in 2010