Émile Jamil Lahoud

1936

Lebanon, Beirut

After getting education he connected his career with the army. He got the rank of junior lieutenant in 1959 and two months later he was the captain of the Vessel ‘Beirut’. The future Lebanon president was appointed the commander of the second flotilla at the end of October 1966, and the commander of the First Navy in 1968. He was on different posts till 1983 when he was given an administrative position at the Defense Ministry. He became the Commander of the Lebanese Army in 1989. Being on the post till 1998 he was actively reforming the army which was weak after the long and murderous civil war. He wanted to convert it into a well-organized structure, which would include representatives of different religions. Having become president, Lahoud was approved by most of the population. He is considered a nationalist ans a corruption fighter. The term of Lahoud’s presidency was to have come to an end in November 2004 (according to the article 49 of the Lebanon Constitution, president is elected for 6 years and cannot apprise to the position for the second time). However, the Lebanon Parliament made an amendment in the Constitution on September 3rd in 2004, which allowed prolonging Émile Jamil Lahoud’s presidency for three years. The outcome on the issue was obvious as Lahoud had a support from Syria which influenced tremendously on Lebanon’s life, and Domask allies were in the Parliament itself.

Émile Jamil Lahoud

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Background

President of the Republic of Lebanon general Émile Jamil Lahoud was born on January 12 in 1936 in the capital of Lebanon Beirut.

Career

After getting education he connected his career with the army. He got the rank of junior lieutenant in 1959 and two months later he was the captain of the Vessel ‘Beirut’.

The future Lebanon president was appointed the commander of the second flotilla at the end of October 1966, and the commander of the First Navy in 1968. He was on different posts till 1983 when he was given an administrative position at the Defense Ministry. He became the Commander of the Lebanese Army in 1989. Being on the post till 1998 he was actively reforming the army which was weak after the long and murderous civil war. He wanted to convert it into a well-organized structure, which would include representatives of different religions. Having become president, Lahoud was approved by most of the population. He is considered a nationalist ans a corruption fighter.

The term of Lahoud’s presidency was to have come to an end in November 2004 (according to the article 49 of the Lebanon Constitution, president is elected for 6 years and cannot apprise to the position for the second time). However, the Lebanon Parliament made an amendment in the Constitution on September 3rd in 2004, which allowed prolonging Émile Jamil Lahoud’s presidency for three years. The outcome on the issue was obvious as Lahoud had a support from Syria which influenced tremendously on Lebanon’s life, and Domask allies were in the Parliament itself.

Achievements

Émile Jamil Lahoud strives for complete withdrawing of Israel Army from the occupied territories. Israeli terrorist organization ‘Hezbollah’, giving armed resistance to Israel, is supported by the Lebanese president. Particularly, in April 2002 Lahoud refused the secretary of state of the United States of America to place the Lebanon Army instead of Hezbollah in the south.

The president of Lebanon is seriously intended to consolidate the relationship with Syria. According to his words, Syrian-Lebanese relationship is aimed at fair, comprehensive and strong world. Anyway, in 2005 the presence of Syrian army in Lebanon came to an end. Under the pressure of international community Damask had to withdraw its forces.

After George Bush approved the plan of Israeli leader Ariel Sharon on one-side separation from Palestine on April 15 2004, Émile Jamil Lahoud declared: “The United States president attempts to annul the right of the Palestinians to come back to their native roots, having allowed Israel to create permanent settlements on the occupied territories”. According to the Lebanese leader’s opinion such a position may lead to dangerous consequences on different levels, allay the hopes to build a fair and comprehensive world, incite anti-American movement and stimulate the use of power and all the legal means to resist the fight for the true rights of people. In the declaration Émile Jamil Lahoud askes the United States of America, fighting for the human rights deny its position which contradicts with the principle of legality and the decision of the international community.

Émile Jamil Lahoud managed to convert the weak after the civil war army into a well-organized force which is now able to implement the most serious tasks on the protection and the defence of the government. Thanks to his efforts the Lebanese Army became better technically equipped, mostly due to the close military co-operation with Syria.

Religion

President of the Republic of Lebanon general Émile Jamil Lahoud is Christian Maronite. According to the National pact of 1943 Lebanese president, several ministers and about one third parliament must be maronites.

Maronites live mostly in Lebanon and in small groups in Syria, Egypt, Southern and Northern America, the Cyprus. Maronite religious communities appeared in V-VII centuries in north-western Syria during the process of East-West Schism. Since 1954 the head of the maronites is appointed at Vatican and has an official residence in Lebanon.

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