Issam Abu Jamra
{{Short description|Lebanese politician (born 1937)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2022}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| image =
| imagesize =
| office = Deputy Prime Minister
| primeminister = Fouad Siniora
| predecessor =
| successor = Elias Murr
| term_start = 11 July 2008
| term_end = November 2009
| office2 = Deputy Prime Minister
| primeminister2 = Michel Aoun
| predecessor2 =
| successor2 =
| term_start2 = 22 September 1988
| term_end2 = 13 October 1990
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1937|2|6|df=y}}
| birth_place = Kfeir, Hasbeya, French Lebanon
| death_date =
| death_place =
| restingplace =
| party = Free Patriotic Movement (until 2010)
| residence =
| alma_mater = Lebanese University
| spouse =
| nationality = Lebanese
| children =
| website =
| rank = Major General
| allegiance = {{Flag|Lebanon}}
| branch = Lebanese Armed Forces
| battles = 1958 Lebanon crisis{{br}}Lebanese Civil War
| serviceyears = 1956–1990
}}
Issam Abu Jamra ({{langx|ar|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[https://www.arabnews.com/node/1264241/middle-east "All in the family: Lebanese politicians seeking to inherit their parents’ seats"] Arab News, 12 March 2018[http://www.naharnet.com/stories/en/220652 "Aoun Insists on Naming Shiite Minister as Berri Threatens to Nominate Abou Jamra"] Naharnet, 20 November 2016 on 6 February 1937.{{cite web|title=Deputy Prime Minister Issam Abu Jamra|url=http://www.10452lccc.com/ministerabujamra.htm|work=Canadanian Lebanese Coordinating Council|access-date=12 January 2013}}{{cite news|title=Profiles: Lebanon's new government|access-date=12 January 2013|url=http://www.lebanonwire.com/0807MLN/08071201LW.asp|work=Lebanonwire|date=12 July 2008
|url-status=dead|archive-date=11 May 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130511134105/http://www.lebanonwire.com/0807MLN/08071201LW.asp}} He attended Lebanese army's military academy and graduated as an artillery officer in 1959. In addition, he obtained a bachelor's degree in law from Lebanese University in 1984.
Career
Abu Jamra began his career in Lebanese army in 1956. 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. He also served as minister of telecommunications and minister of economy from 22 April 1988 to 25 November 1989.{{cite web|title=Former ministers|url=http://www.mpt-gov.net/index.php/en/about-mpt-2/mpt-info/former-ministers|publisher=Ministry of Telecommunications|access-date=12 January 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131111212618/http://www.mpt-gov.net/index.php/en/about-mpt-2/mpt-info/former-ministers|archive-date=11 November 2013|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|title=Former Ministers
|url=http://www.economy.gov.lb/index.php/aboutUs/2|work=Ministry of Economy and Trade|access-date=5 October 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130221083735/http://www.economy.gov.lb/index.php/aboutUs/2|archive-date=21 February 2013|url-status=dead}} He replaced Georges Saadeh as telecommunications minister. Jamra was succeeded by Joseph El Hachem in the post. Jamra became major general in 1990.{{cite journal|author=Daniel Nassif|title=Interview: Former Deputy Prime Minister Issam Abou Jamra|journal=Middle East Intelligence Bulletin|date=April 2000|volume=2|issue=4
|url=http://www.meforum.org/meib/articles/0004_li.htm}}
He was appointed deputy prime minister to the cabinet headed by Prime Minister Fouad Siniora on 11 July 2008.{{cite news|title=Lebanon's 'unity cabinet' announced|access-date=28 January 2013|work=Ya Libnan|date=11 July 2008|url=http://yalibnan.com/site/archives/2008/07/lebanons_unity.php|url-status=dead|archive-date=11 November 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131111205302/http://yalibnan.com/site/archives/2008/07/lebanons_unity.php}}{{cite news|title=Meet the government|url=https://now.mmedia.me/lb/en/nowspecials/meet_the_government|access-date=6 March 2013|work=Now Lebanon|date=11 July 2008|archive-date=6 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170906114718/https://now.mmedia.me/lb/en/nowspecials/meet_the_government|url-status=dead}} He was part of the oppositional share in the cabinet.{{cite news|title=Lebanon's new government lineup|access-date=6 March 2013|work=Lebanonwire|date=11 July 2008|url=http://www.lebanonwire.com/0807MLN/08071117LW.asp|archive-date=11 May 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130511101802/http://www.lebanonwire.com/0807MLN/08071117LW.asp}} He was FPM's candidate for Greek Orthodox seat in Beirut's first district in the parliament elections held in June 2009.{{cite news|title=Close Race Likely in Beirut First District|url=http://www.cablegatesearch.net/cable.php?id=09BEIRUT383|access-date=4 April 2013|work=Wikileaks|date=2 April 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131111203955/http://www.cablegatesearch.net/cable.php?id=09BEIRUT383|archive-date=11 November 2013|url-status=dead}} However, he lost his seat to Nayla Tueni.{{cite news|author=Sami Moubayed|title=Hezbollah handed a stinging defeat|url=http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/KF09Ak03.html|author-link=Sami Moubayed|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090611052017/http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/KF09Ak03.html|url-status=unfit|archive-date=11 June 2009|access-date=27 March 2013|work=Asia Times Online|date=9 June 2009}}
=FPM and exile=
Jamra is one of the founders of the FPM and was a parliament member from the party. In 1990, he was exiled to France with Aoun after the latter headed the interim government. They left Lebanon on 30 August 1990, and went first to Larnaca and then to France.{{cite news|author=Steven Greenhouse|title=Lebanese General Is Spirited to France|access-date=12 January 2013|date=30 August 1990
|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1991/08/30/world/lebanese-general-is-spirited-to-france.html|newspaper=The New York Times}} France granted them and their families asylum.{{cite news|author=Mohammad Salam|title=Aoun's family flies to France|date=20 October 1990|location=Beirut|url=https://apnews.com/358898085722802e76eb1b5f34812215|access-date=4 April 2013|work=Associated Press}} They both returned to Lebanon on 7 May 2005 after fifteen years in exile.{{cite news|title=Prominent Christian leader Aoun returns to Lebanon from exile|newspaper=Haaretz|url=http://www.haaretz.com/news/prominent-christian-leader-aoun-returns-to-lebanon-from-exile-1.157961|access-date=4 April 2013|date=7 May 2005}}{{cite news|title=Former PM returns after 15 year exile|url=http://www.albawaba.com/news/lebanon-former-pm-returns-after-15-year-exile-opposition-leader-calls-president-step-down|access-date=4 April 2013|work=Al Bawaba|date=7 May 2005}}
Although Jamra was a close aide of Aoun,{{cite news|author=Ihsan A. Hijazi|title=Lebanese General's Allies Confer|work=The New York Times|page=16|date=4 December 1989|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1989/12/04/world/lebanese-general-s-allies-confer.html}} he left the party in 2010.{{cite news|title=Abu Jamra accuses Bassil of corruption|url=http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Local-News/Dec/04/Abu-Jamra-accuses-Bassil-of-corruption.ashx#axzz2HliohpqF|access-date=12 January 2013|newspaper=The Daily Star|date=4 December 2010|location=Beirut}}
Personal life
Jamra's spouse died in France while they were in exile there in the 1990s.{{cite news|title=Lebanon: New Deputy PM Says Aoun Interested n Relations with Sunnis|url=http://www.cablegatesearch.net/cable.php?id=08BEIRUT1170|access-date=4 April 2013|work=Wikileaks|date=8 August 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131111203934/http://www.cablegatesearch.net/cable.php?id=08BEIRUT1170|archive-date=11 November 2013|url-status=dead}} He has four sons. One of them, Fadi Jamra, is a politician.{{cite news|author=Najia Houssari|title=All in the family: Lebanese politicians seeking to inherit their parents' seats|access-date=12 July 2022|url=https://www.arabnews.com/node/1264241/middle-east|work=Arab News|date=12 March 2018}}
References
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Category:20th-century Lebanese politicians
Category:Free Patriotic Movement politicians
Category:Deputy prime ministers of Lebanon
Category:Greek Orthodox Christians from Lebanon
Category:Lebanese University alumni
Category:Lebanese major generals