Issam Abu Jamra

Issam Abu Jamra
Deputy Prime Minister
In office 11 July 2008 – November 2009
Prime Minister	Fouad Siniora
Succeeded by	Elias Murr
Deputy Prime Minister
In office 22 September 1988 – 13 October 1990
Prime Minister	Michel Aoun
Personal details
Born	(1937-02-06) 6 February 1937 (age 87) Kfeir, Hasbeya, French Lebanon
Political party	Free Patriotic Movement (until 2010)
Alma mater	Lebanese University
Military service
Allegiance	Lebanon
Branch/service	Lebanese Armed Forces
Years of service	1956–1990
Rank	Major General
Battles/wars	1958 Lebanon crisis Lebanese Civil War

Issam Abu Jamra (Arabic: عصام أبو جمرا; born 6 February 1937) is a retired Lebanese major general and a politician, who served as deputy prime minister in the cabinets of Michel Aoun and Fouad Siniora. Until 2010 he was part of the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM).

Early life and education

Jamra was born in Kfeir, Hasbeya, south Lebanon, into a Greek Orthodox family^[1][2] on 6 February 1937.^[3][4] He attended Lebanese army's military academy and graduated as an artillery officer in 1959.^[3] In addition, he obtained a bachelor's degree in law from Lebanese University in 1984.^[3]

Career

Abu Jamra began his career in Lebanese army in 1956.^[3] After serving in different positions in the army and defense ministry, he was appointed deputy prime minister to the interim military government under Michel Aoun on 22 September 1988 and was in office until 13 October 1990.^[5] He also served as minister of telecommunications and minister of economy from 22 April 1988 to 25 November 1989.^[6][7] He replaced Georges Saadeh as telecommunications minister. Jamra was succeeded by Joseph El Hachem in the post. Jamra became major general in 1990.^[5]

He was appointed deputy prime minister to the cabinet headed by Prime Minister Fouad Siniora on 11 July 2008.^[8][9] He was part of the oppositional share in the cabinet.^[10] He was FPM's candidate for Greek Orthodox seat in Beirut's first district in the parliament elections held in June 2009.^[11] However, he lost his seat to Nayla Tueni.^[12]

FPM and exile

Jamra is one of the founders of the FPM and was a parliament member from the party.^[13] In 1990, he was exiled to France with Aoun after the latter headed the interim government.^[4] They left Lebanon on 30 August 1990, and went first to Larnaca and then to France.^[14] France granted them and their families asylum.^[15] They both returned to Lebanon on 7 May 2005 after fifteen years in exile.^[16][17]

Although Jamra was a close aide of Aoun,^[18] he left the party in 2010.^[13]

Personal life

Jamra's spouse died in France while they were in exile there in the 1990s.^[19] He has four sons.^[19] One of them, Fadi Jamra, is a politician.^[20]

References

1. "All in the family: Lebanese politicians seeking to inherit their parents’ seats" Arab News, 12 March 2018
2. "Aoun Insists on Naming Shiite Minister as Berri Threatens to Nominate Abou Jamra" Naharnet, 20 November 2016
3. "Deputy Prime Minister Issam Abu Jamra". Canadanian Lebanese Coordinating Council. Retrieved 12 January 2013.
4. "Profiles: Lebanon's new government". Lebanonwire. 12 July 2008. Archived from the original on 11 May 2013. Retrieved 12 January 2013.
5. Daniel Nassif (April 2000). "Interview: Former Deputy Prime Minister Issam Abou Jamra". Middle East Intelligence Bulletin. 2 (4).
6. "Former ministers". Ministry of Telecommunications. Archived from the original on 11 November 2013. Retrieved 12 January 2013.
7. "Former Ministers". Ministry of Economy and Trade. Archived from the original on 21 February 2013. Retrieved 5 October 2012.
8. "Lebanon's 'unity cabinet' announced". Ya Libnan. 11 July 2008. Archived from the original on 11 November 2013. Retrieved 28 January 2013.
9. "Meet the government". Now Lebanon. 11 July 2008. Archived from the original on 6 September 2017. Retrieved 6 March 2013.
10. "Lebanon's new government lineup". Lebanonwire. 11 July 2008. Archived from the original on 11 May 2013. Retrieved 6 March 2013.
11. "Close Race Likely in Beirut First District". Wikileaks. 2 April 2009. Archived from the original on 11 November 2013. Retrieved 4 April 2013.
12. Sami Moubayed (9 June 2009). "Hezbollah handed a stinging defeat". Asia Times Online. Archived from the original on 11 June 2009. Retrieved 27 March 2013.
13. "Abu Jamra accuses Bassil of corruption". The Daily Star. Beirut. 4 December 2010. Retrieved 12 January 2013.
14. Steven Greenhouse (30 August 1990). "Lebanese General Is Spirited to France". The New York Times. Retrieved 12 January 2013.
15. Mohammad Salam (20 October 1990). "Aoun's family flies to France". Associated Press. Beirut. Retrieved 4 April 2013.
16. "Prominent Christian leader Aoun returns to Lebanon from exile". Haaretz. 7 May 2005. Retrieved 4 April 2013.
17. "Former PM returns after 15 year exile". Al Bawaba. 7 May 2005. Retrieved 4 April 2013.
18. Ihsan A. Hijazi (4 December 1989). "Lebanese General's Allies Confer". The New York Times. p. 16.
19. "Lebanon: New Deputy PM Says Aoun Interested n Relations with Sunnis". Wikileaks. 8 August 2008. Archived from the original on 11 November 2013. Retrieved 4 April 2013.
20. Najia Houssari (12 March 2018). "All in the family: Lebanese politicians seeking to inherit their parents' seats". Arab News. Retrieved 12 July 2022.