Elie Nakouzi
Encyclopedia
Elie Nakouzi is a television broadcaster and presenter in the Middle East with over 20 years of experience in Middle East broadcasting. He has interviewed on Arabic television U.S. President George W. Bush
, UK Prime Ministers Tony Blair
and Gordon Brown
, Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni
, Pakistani General Pervez Musharaf, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad, and Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir
. Nakouzi was one of the founding journalists of MurrTV, which was closed in Lebanon for 7 years by the Syrian occupying authorities before re-launching in 2009. He is currently the Washington, D.C. bureau chief for MurrTV.
) in 1994 which allowed him to continue to address issues directly related to the Syrian invasion of Lebanon.
In 1997, Nakouzi became the senior anchor at MurrTV's Take a Stand program. At its core, Take a Stand addressed reforming the loss of civic values that resulted from the Syrian occupation of Lebanon, including promoting democratic values and ending human rights abuses. From 1998, a year after Nakouzi began, until 2002, when he left, Take a Stand became the top rated political commentary show in Lebanon. Eventually, as with Parliament of the Youth, Nakouzi and Take a Stand ran afoul of Syrian officials, and MurrTV was forcibly shut down in 2002.
Following the closure of MurrTV, Nakouzi accepted a position with Al-Arabiya TV as an anchor for the From Iraq program in 2003. The Dubai based Al-Arabiya TV was established on March 23, 2003 as a direct competitor to the Al-Jazeera network. Launched during the Iraq War of 2003, From Iraq focused on security issues as well as political and social realities in Iraq at the time. With a weekly interview of influential political players in Iraq, From Iraq focused on the former Iraqi regime’s human rights abuses, the U.S.-led invasion, and the future of Iraq. From Iraq ran from 2003 to 2006.
From 2007 to 2009, Nakouzi hosted Besaraha, which in Arabic translates to “Frankly Speaking”. Besaraha consistently secured interviews with many prominent world leaders and provided in depth conversation from viewpoints not widely expressed in mainstream Middle Eastern media. Besaraha was positively received within the Middle East and holds the record for most heads of state interviewed in one year by any Arabic news outlet.
Following death threats for his involvement in Lebanon’s 2009 Parliamentary elections, Nakouzi emigrated from Lebanon to the United States, taking with him DeFacto Productions, a Beirut established and licensed production company founded by Nakouzi. DeFacto Productions formed a partnership with the recently re-launched MurrTV , owned and chaired by businessman Michel Murr
. The MurrTV/DeFacto Productions partnership is incorporated under Studiovision Inc. Together, MurrTV and DeFacto Productions consistently receive high levels of viewership and ratings in Lebanon, Jordan and Syria.
. The interview lasted for 60 minutes and was conducted at various locations throughout the White House: beginning in the Oval Office
, continuing through the Rose Garden, and concluding in the Map Room
. During the interview, Nakouzi and Bush discussed the current state of affairs in the Middle East and Bush’s hope for the future of the region. Set amidst the backdrop of the Iraq War and the Afghanistan War
, this interview allowed audiences within the Middle East to understand the positions of the United States in contrast with the opinions usually presented in mainstream Middle Eastern media.
Other interviews of note include:
Many observers leading up to the 2009 Lebanese Parliamentary elections predicted sweeping wins by Hezbollah and Hezbollah-affiliated candidates. However, such a Hezbollah victory did not occur in 2009. Many credit a combination of media and advertising campaigns, to which Nakouzi contributed, as the decisive factor allowing the March 14 Alliance
to capture 71 of the 128 seats in the Lebanese Parliament.
However such political involvement on the side of the secular March 14th Alliance produced a backlash among Islamist organizations in Lebanon. In the wake of the 2009 parliamentary elections, political violence and a string of assassinations broke out in Beirut. Nakouzi and his colleagues that had been involved with the elections soon found themselves targeted by Hezbollah in Lebanon. Concerned for his personal safety and that of his family, Nakouzi immigrated to the United States in 2010.
The events of 2009 were not the first time Nakouzi’s work had put his life in danger. While with Al-Arabiya TV, Nakouzi introduced a debate-style concept between electoral candidates of the newly reconstituted government of Iraq. His political work in Iraq soon saw him declared an infidel by Al-Qaeda
. As a result, the Al-Arabiya Bureau in Baghdad was bombed, killing dozens of his colleagues. He was officially declared the target of this attack.
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
, UK Prime Ministers Tony Blair
Tony Blair
Anthony Charles Lynton Blair is a former British Labour Party politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007...
and Gordon Brown
Gordon Brown
James Gordon Brown is a British Labour Party politician who was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Labour Party from 2007 until 2010. He previously served as Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Labour Government from 1997 to 2007...
, Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni
Tzipi Livni
Tzipporah Malkah "Tzipi" Livni is an Israeli lawyer and politician. She is the current Israeli Opposition Leader and leader of Kadima, the largest party in the Knesset. Raised an ardent nationalist, Livni has become one of her nation's leading voices for the two-state solution. In Israel she has...
, Pakistani General Pervez Musharaf, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad, and Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir
Omar al-Bashir
Lieutenant General Omar Hassan Ahmad Al-Bashir is the current President of Sudan and the head of the National Congress Party. He came to power in 1989 when he, as a brigadier in the Sudanese army, led a group of officers in a bloodless military coup that ousted the government of Prime Minister...
. Nakouzi was one of the founding journalists of MurrTV, which was closed in Lebanon for 7 years by the Syrian occupying authorities before re-launching in 2009. He is currently the Washington, D.C. bureau chief for MurrTV.
Early life and education
Nakouzi was born in Beirut, Lebanon, to Christian Lebanese parents. He enrolled in medical school, changed his concentration to computer science, before deciding on international relations. Nakouzi earned his Master’s degree in International Relations from Notre Dame University in Lebanon. He also taught Political Science and International Affairs in the Middle East at the Lebanese-American University (LAU).Career
Nakouzi began his career as a presenter on Parliament of the Youth, a program hosted by Radio Voice of Lebanon, in 1990. In 1993, he became anchor of a reproduction of Parliament of the Youth, made for ICN Network. Although ICN network was shut down in 1994, Nakouzi soon began work as a senior anchor with the LBC (Lebanese Broadcasting CorporationLebanese Broadcasting Corporation
The Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation , widely known as LBC, is the first private television station in Lebanon. It went global in 1996 when it launched its satellite channel LBC Al-Fadha'iya Al-Lubnaniya covering the Arab World. It now has several channels covering Europe, America, Australia, and...
) in 1994 which allowed him to continue to address issues directly related to the Syrian invasion of Lebanon.
In 1997, Nakouzi became the senior anchor at MurrTV's Take a Stand program. At its core, Take a Stand addressed reforming the loss of civic values that resulted from the Syrian occupation of Lebanon, including promoting democratic values and ending human rights abuses. From 1998, a year after Nakouzi began, until 2002, when he left, Take a Stand became the top rated political commentary show in Lebanon. Eventually, as with Parliament of the Youth, Nakouzi and Take a Stand ran afoul of Syrian officials, and MurrTV was forcibly shut down in 2002.
Following the closure of MurrTV, Nakouzi accepted a position with Al-Arabiya TV as an anchor for the From Iraq program in 2003. The Dubai based Al-Arabiya TV was established on March 23, 2003 as a direct competitor to the Al-Jazeera network. Launched during the Iraq War of 2003, From Iraq focused on security issues as well as political and social realities in Iraq at the time. With a weekly interview of influential political players in Iraq, From Iraq focused on the former Iraqi regime’s human rights abuses, the U.S.-led invasion, and the future of Iraq. From Iraq ran from 2003 to 2006.
From 2007 to 2009, Nakouzi hosted Besaraha, which in Arabic translates to “Frankly Speaking”. Besaraha consistently secured interviews with many prominent world leaders and provided in depth conversation from viewpoints not widely expressed in mainstream Middle Eastern media. Besaraha was positively received within the Middle East and holds the record for most heads of state interviewed in one year by any Arabic news outlet.
Following death threats for his involvement in Lebanon’s 2009 Parliamentary elections, Nakouzi emigrated from Lebanon to the United States, taking with him DeFacto Productions, a Beirut established and licensed production company founded by Nakouzi. DeFacto Productions formed a partnership with the recently re-launched MurrTV , owned and chaired by businessman Michel Murr
Michel Murr
Michel Murr is a Lebanese politician and businessman. He first occupied the post of Minister of the Interior, as well as being Deputy Prime Minister in Rafik Hariri's first cabinet in 1992 and remained in the post in all subsequent cabinets formed by Hariri, except the last one, in which his son,...
. The MurrTV/DeFacto Productions partnership is incorporated under Studiovision Inc. Together, MurrTV and DeFacto Productions consistently receive high levels of viewership and ratings in Lebanon, Jordan and Syria.
Journalistic achievements
In 2007, Nakouzi became the first Arab news anchor to interview U.S. President George W. BushGeorge W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
. The interview lasted for 60 minutes and was conducted at various locations throughout the White House: beginning in the Oval Office
Oval Office
The Oval Office, located in the West Wing of the White House, is the official office of the President of the United States.The room features three large south-facing windows behind the president's desk, and a fireplace at the north end...
, continuing through the Rose Garden, and concluding in the Map Room
Map Room (White House)
The Map Room is a room on the ground floor of the White House, the official home of the President of the United States.The Map Room takes its name from its use during World War II, when Franklin Roosevelt used it as a situation room where maps were consulted to track the war's progress...
. During the interview, Nakouzi and Bush discussed the current state of affairs in the Middle East and Bush’s hope for the future of the region. Set amidst the backdrop of the Iraq War and the Afghanistan War
War in Afghanistan (2001–present)
The War in Afghanistan began on October 7, 2001, as the armed forces of the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Australia, and the Afghan United Front launched Operation Enduring Freedom...
, this interview allowed audiences within the Middle East to understand the positions of the United States in contrast with the opinions usually presented in mainstream Middle Eastern media.
Other interviews of note include:
- Robert GatesRobert GatesDr. Robert Michael Gates is a retired civil servant and university president who served as the 22nd United States Secretary of Defense from 2006 to 2011. Prior to this, Gates served for 26 years in the Central Intelligence Agency and the National Security Council, and under President George H. W....
, U.S. Secretary of Defense - Tony BlairTony BlairAnthony Charles Lynton Blair is a former British Labour Party politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007...
, Prime Minister of the United KingdomPrime Minister of the United KingdomThe Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and... - Gordon BrownGordon BrownJames Gordon Brown is a British Labour Party politician who was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Labour Party from 2007 until 2010. He previously served as Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Labour Government from 1997 to 2007...
, Prime Minister of the United KingdomPrime Minister of the United KingdomThe Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and... - Tzipi LivniTzipi LivniTzipporah Malkah "Tzipi" Livni is an Israeli lawyer and politician. She is the current Israeli Opposition Leader and leader of Kadima, the largest party in the Knesset. Raised an ardent nationalist, Livni has become one of her nation's leading voices for the two-state solution. In Israel she has...
, Foreign Minister of Israel - General Pervez Musharaf, President of PakistanPresident of PakistanThe President of Pakistan is the head of state, as well as figurehead, of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Recently passed an XVIII Amendment , Pakistan has a parliamentary democratic system of government. According to the Constitution, the President is chosen by the Electoral College to serve a...
- Mahmoud Ahmedinejad, President of IranPresident of IranThe President of Iran is the highest popularly elected official in, and the head of government of the Islamic Republic of Iran; although subordinate to the Supreme Leader of Iran, who functions as the country's head of state...
- Omar Al-BashirOmar al-BashirLieutenant General Omar Hassan Ahmad Al-Bashir is the current President of Sudan and the head of the National Congress Party. He came to power in 1989 when he, as a brigadier in the Sudanese army, led a group of officers in a bloodless military coup that ousted the government of Prime Minister...
, President of Sudan - Zalmay KhalilzadZalmay KhalilzadZalmay Mamozy Khalilzad is a counselor at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and president of Khalilzad Associates, an international business consulting firm based in Washington, DC. He was the United States Ambassador to the United Nations under President George W. Bush...
, U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Iraq - Ambassador Paul Bremer, Former U.S. Civil Administrator of Iraq
- Ambassador Christopher Ross, Former U.S. Ambassador (Retired)
- Ambassador Richmond Jones, Current U.S. Ambassador to IsraelIsraelThe State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
- General Raymond Odierno, Commanding General of the Multi-National Corps-Iraq
- General George Casey, Commander of the Multi-National Forces, Iraq (MNFI)
- General Ricardo SanchezRicardo SanchezRicardo Sanchez is a retired United States Army Lieutenant General and a candidate for the Democratic Party nomination for the Senate election in 2012 for the seat of retiring Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison.-Early life and education:...
, former Commander of MNFI - General Mark KimmittMark KimmittMark Traecey Patrick Kimmitt was the 16th Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs, serving under George W. Bush from August 2008 to January 2009. Prior to joining the State Department, he was a Brigadier General in the United States Army, and served as the Deputy Assistant...
, MNFI military spokesperson - Dan SenorDan SenorDaniel Samuel Senor, known as Dan Senor , is a founding partner of Rosemont Capital LLC, and Rosemont Solebury Capital Management. He is also a Fox News contributor and a frequent contributor to The Wall Street Journal among other publications...
, Civil Spokesperson for the Coalition Provisional AuthorityCoalition Provisional AuthorityThe Coalition Provisional Authority was established as a transitional government following the invasion of Iraq by the United States and its allies, members of the Multi-National Force – Iraq which was formed to oust the government of Saddam Hussein in 2003...
(CPA) in Iraq - Nabil Khoury, Arabic media spokesperson for the CPACoalition Provisional AuthorityThe Coalition Provisional Authority was established as a transitional government following the invasion of Iraq by the United States and its allies, members of the Multi-National Force – Iraq which was formed to oust the government of Saddam Hussein in 2003...
in Iraq - Dr. Ayad Allawi, Former Prime Minister of IraqPrime Minister of IraqThe Prime Minister of Iraq is Iraq's head of government. Prime Minister was originally an appointed office, subsidiary to the head of state, and the nominal leader of the Iraqi parliament. Under the newly adopted constitution the Prime Minister is to be the country's active executive authority...
- Dr. Nouri Al-MalikiNouri al-MalikiNouri Kamil Mohammed Hasan al-Maliki , also known as Jawad al-Maliki or Abu Esraa, is the Prime Minister of Iraq and the secretary-general of the Islamic Dawa Party. Al-Maliki and his government succeeded the Iraqi Transitional Government. He is currently in his second term as Prime Minister...
, current Prime Minister of IraqPrime Minister of IraqThe Prime Minister of Iraq is Iraq's head of government. Prime Minister was originally an appointed office, subsidiary to the head of state, and the nominal leader of the Iraqi parliament. Under the newly adopted constitution the Prime Minister is to be the country's active executive authority... - Masoud Barzani, current Governor of the Region of Kurdistan
- Jalal TalabaniJalal TalabaniJalal Talabani is the sixth and current President of Iraq, a leading Kurdish politician. He is the first non-Arab president of Iraq, although Abdul Kareem Qasim was half Kurdish....
, current President of IraqPresident of IraqThe President of Iraq is the head of state of Iraq and "safeguards the commitment to the Constitution and the preservation of Iraq's independence, sovereignty, unity, the security of its territories in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution." The President is elected by the Council of... - Dr. Barham Saleh, current Deputy Prime Minister of Iraq
- Abdul Aziz Al-HakimAbdul Aziz al-HakimSayyed Abdul Aziz al-Hakim was an Iraqi theologian and politician and the leader of Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq, a party that enjoys approximately 5% support in the Iraqi Council of Representatives....
, Head of the Iraqi SCIRI political partySciriSciri may refer to:*Scirii, people*SCIRI, the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq... - Dr. Ahmed ChalabiAhmed ChalabiAhmed Abdel Hadi Chalabi is an Iraqi politician. He was interim oil minister in Iraq in April-May 2005 and December-January 2006 and deputy prime minister from May 2005 until May 2006. Chalabi failed to win a seat in parliament in the December 2005 elections, and when the new Iraqi cabinet was...
, head of the INC political party - Dr. Ibrahim Jaafary, former Prime Minister of IraqPrime Minister of IraqThe Prime Minister of Iraq is Iraq's head of government. Prime Minister was originally an appointed office, subsidiary to the head of state, and the nominal leader of the Iraqi parliament. Under the newly adopted constitution the Prime Minister is to be the country's active executive authority...
- Dr. Tarek Al-Hashimy, current Vice President of IraqVice President of IraqAs currently constituted, the state of Iraq has two vice presidents or deputy presidents. The office of Vice President is largely ceremonial but prestigious...
- Nichervan Barzani, current Prime Minister of the Region of Kurdistan
Political achievements
As a senior political anchor and activist, Nakouzi has participated in the electoral process of several countries within the Middle East. In 2009, Nakouzi presented a program on Al-Arabiya TV dedicated to covering the Lebanese Parliamentary elections. The program soon expanded to become the focal point for information concerning the elections. Nakouzi’s program provided daily updates on campaign and candidate information in an easily accessible manner for all Lebanese voters.Many observers leading up to the 2009 Lebanese Parliamentary elections predicted sweeping wins by Hezbollah and Hezbollah-affiliated candidates. However, such a Hezbollah victory did not occur in 2009. Many credit a combination of media and advertising campaigns, to which Nakouzi contributed, as the decisive factor allowing the March 14 Alliance
March 14 Alliance
The March 14 alliance , named after the date of the Cedar Revolution, is a coalition of political parties and independents in Lebanon that call for sovereignty over all Lebanese territories, led by MP Saad Hariri, younger son of Rafik Hariri, the assassinated former prime minister of Lebanon, as...
to capture 71 of the 128 seats in the Lebanese Parliament.
However such political involvement on the side of the secular March 14th Alliance produced a backlash among Islamist organizations in Lebanon. In the wake of the 2009 parliamentary elections, political violence and a string of assassinations broke out in Beirut. Nakouzi and his colleagues that had been involved with the elections soon found themselves targeted by Hezbollah in Lebanon. Concerned for his personal safety and that of his family, Nakouzi immigrated to the United States in 2010.
The events of 2009 were not the first time Nakouzi’s work had put his life in danger. While with Al-Arabiya TV, Nakouzi introduced a debate-style concept between electoral candidates of the newly reconstituted government of Iraq. His political work in Iraq soon saw him declared an infidel by Al-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda is a global broad-based militant Islamist terrorist organization founded by Osama bin Laden sometime between August 1988 and late 1989. It operates as a network comprising both a multinational, stateless army and a radical Sunni Muslim movement calling for global Jihad...
. As a result, the Al-Arabiya Bureau in Baghdad was bombed, killing dozens of his colleagues. He was officially declared the target of this attack.