Omar Karami | |
|---|---|
| عمر كرامي | |
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| 39th and 44thPrime Minister of Lebanon | |
| In office 26 October 2004 – 19 April 2005 | |
| President | Emile Lahoud |
| Deputy | Issam Fares |
| Preceded by | Rafik Hariri |
| Succeeded by | Najib Mikati |
| In office 24 December 1990 – 13 May 1992 | |
| President | Elias Hrawi |
| Deputy | Michel Murr |
| Preceded by | Selim al-Hoss |
| Succeeded by | Rashid el-Solh |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1934-09-07)7 September 1934 An Nouri,French Mandate of Lebanon |
| Died | 1 January 2015(2015-01-01) (aged 80) Beirut, Lebanon |
| Political party | Arab Liberation Party |
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Subdivisions |
Omar Abdul Hamid Karami (last name also spelledKaramé andKarameh)[1] (Arabic:عمر عبد الحميد كرامي; 7 September 1934 – 1 January 2015) was the 39th prime minister ofLebanon for two non-consecutive terms. He was Prime Minister for the first time from 24 December 1990, whenSelim al-Hoss gave up power, until May 1992, when he resigned due to economic instability. He was again Prime Minister from October 2004 to April 2005 as the 44th Prime Minister.
Karami was bornOmar Abdul Hamid Karami in the northern Lebanese town of An Nouri, nearTripoli in 1934 to aSunni Muslim family. He was the son of former prime minister and independence heroAbdul Hamid Karami.[2] He was the brother of Arab nationalist, eight-time prime minister and major Lebanese statesman,Rashid Karami, who was assassinated in 1987.[3] Omar Karami held a degree in law, which he received fromCairo University in 1956.[4]
Karami worked both as a lawyer and businessman.[5] In 1989, he was appointed education minister and on 24 December 1990, prime minister.[4][6] He was in office until May 1992 when he resigned due to the collapse of the Lebanese pound against the US dollar which provoked street riots.[4][5] Karami was elected as Parliamentary representative of Tripoli in 1991, following his brother's assassination. In late October 2004, he formed a cabinet after the resignation ofRafik Hariri.[7][8]
Due tothe assassination of ex-prime minister Hariri on 14 February 2005, members of the opposition blamed Syria for the assassination, and demanded Syria withdraw its troops and intelligence personnel from Lebanon. Protests grew inBeirut despite an official ban on public protests, and the opposition planned to call for ano confidence vote. Amid the growing pressure, Karami announced on 28 February 2005 that his government would resign,[9] although it remained temporarily in acaretaker role.[2]
Ten days after the resignation, following protests in Beirut that were supportive of president Karami,PresidentÉmile Lahoud re-appointed Karami as prime minister on 10 March and asked him to form a new government.[10] With the backing of a majority of deputies, Karami called on all parties to join a government of national unity.[11]
On 13 April, after failing to create a new government, Karami resigned again.[4][12][13] He was replaced byNajib Mikati in the post.[13] This resignation added to the turmoil already prevalent in Lebanon since Hariri's assassination as now there was no government to call the elections which were due that upcoming May.[14] Karami did not run for office inthe 2005 general elections.[15][16]
![[icon]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=https%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aWiki_letter_w_cropped.svg) | This sectionneeds expansion. You can help byadding to it.(January 2015) |
Karami was the father ofFaisal Karami.[17]
On the morning of 1 January 2015, Karami died following a long period of illness at the age of 80.[18][19]
| Political offices | ||
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| Preceded by | Prime Minister of Lebanon 1990–1992 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Prime Minister of Lebanon 2004–2005 | Succeeded by |
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