BEIRUT (AP) — Five-time former Lebanese Prime Minister Salim Hoss, who served during some of the most tumultuous years of his country’s modern history, died Sunday at age 94, the current premier said.
Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati described Hoss, who was also a former government minister and member of parliament, as the “conscience of Lebanon” in a statement announcing his death. He added that Hoss “passed away at the most difficult and delicate stage in which Lebanon needs its conscience.”
Mikati was referring to fears that Lebanon could be pulled into a full-on war with Israel. Lebanese militant group Hezbollah began attacking Israel a day after the start of the war in Gaza, which was triggered by Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack into southern Israel. Israel and Hezbollah have exchanged fire almost daily since then, displacing tens of thousands of people on both sides of the border.
Salim al-Huss was born in Beirut on 20 December 1929. His father died when he was 7 months old. In 1941, he fled with his mother and grandmother from Beirut to the Sawfar Region of Lebanon. He was a prominent economist. Received his undergraduate degree in economics from the American University of Beirut and a PhD in business and economics from Indiana University in the United States in 1961.
Al- Hoss was married to Leila Pharaoun, a Maronite Christian who converted to Islam at the end of her life in order to be buried next to her husband in a Muslim cemetery, according to a 2000 interview with al-Hoss
The first time he served as te Lebanese PM was from 1976 until 1980 during the first years of the Lebanese Civil War. His second, and most controversial term, was from 1987 until 1989, when in 1988 he nominated himself as prime minister but was recognized by many nations and statesmen of the international community. Al-Hoss was chosen a third time to serve as prime minister by President Elias Hrawi from November 1989 until December 1990. He served as prime minister again from December 1998 to October 2000.
In 2000 al-Hoss resigned as prime minister, declaring an end to his political career, after he lost his seat in the Lebanese parliament.
In March 2005, he was considered as a candidate to form a new government following the resignation of PM Omar Karami but he reportedly refused to accept the position for health reasons.
He was a member of the anti-imperialist conference Axis for Peace. Al-Hoss was a strong opponent of capital punishment, and during his term as prime minister he refused to sign any execution warrants, temporarily halting executions in Lebanon, which remain rare.
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