Omar Karami

Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox officeholder Template:Politics of Lebanon Omar Abdul Hamid Karami (last name also spelled Karamé and Karameh)<ref>Lebanon's Jumblatt backs Hezbollah, Al Jazeera English.</ref> (Template:Langx; 7 September 1934 – 1 January 2015) was the 39th prime minister of Lebanon for two non-consecutive terms. He was Prime Minister for the first time from 24 December 1990, when Selim 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.

Early life

Karami was born Omar Abdul Hamid Karami in the northern Lebanese town of An Nouri, near Tripoli in 1934 to a Sunni Muslim family. He was the son of former prime minister and independence hero Abdul Hamid Karami.<ref name=fat1mar/> He was the brother of Arab nationalist, eight-time prime minister and major Lebanese statesman, Rashid Karami, who was assassinated in 1987.<ref name=bberg>Template:Cite news</ref> Omar Karami held a degree in law, which he received from Cairo University in 1956.<ref name=Husseini2012>Template:Cite book</ref>

Career

Karami worked both as a lawyer and businessman.<ref name=cdaily>Template:Cite news</ref> In 1989, he was appointed education minister and on 24 December 1990, prime minister.<ref name=Husseini2012/><ref name=sal22sep>Template:Cite journal</ref> 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.<ref name=Husseini2012/><ref name=cdaily/> 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 of Rafik Hariri.<ref name=raad27oct>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=lwire27oct>Template:Cite news</ref>

Due to the 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 in Beirut despite an official ban on public protests, and the opposition planned to call for a no confidence vote. Amid the growing pressure, Karami announced on 28 February 2005 that his government would resign,<ref name=rulers2>Template:Cite web</ref> although it remained temporarily in a caretaker role.<ref name=fat1mar>Template:Cite news</ref>

Ten days after the resignation, following protests in Beirut that were supportive of president Karami, President Émile Lahoud re-appointed Karami as prime minister on 10 March and asked him to form a new government.<ref name=ed11mar>Template:Cite news</ref> With the backing of a majority of deputies, Karami called on all parties to join a government of national unity.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

On 13 April, after failing to create a new government, Karami resigned again.<ref name=Husseini2012/><ref name=dab13sep>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref name=rulersap2005>Template:Cite web</ref> He was replaced by Najib Mikati in the post.<ref name=rulersap2005/> 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.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Karami did not run for office in the 2005 general elections.<ref name=mou8jul>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=ash27may>Template:Cite news</ref>

Personal life

Karami was the father of Faisal Karami.<ref name=ela8nov>Template:Cite news</ref>

Death

On the morning of 1 January 2015, Karami died following a long period of illness at the age of 80.<ref>Former Prime Minister Omar Karami dies at age of 80 The Daily Star. 1 January 2015.</ref><ref name="GuardianObit">Template:Cite news</ref>