Simon Karam

Simon Karam (born 2 February 1950) is a Lebanese lawyer who served as the ambassador of Lebanon to the United States of America between 1992 and 1993.

Simon Karam
Ambassador of Lebanon to the United States of America
In office
September 1992 – August 1993
Personal details
Born
Simon Massoud Karam

(1950-02-02) 2 February 1950
Jezzine, Lebanon
Children3
Alma materSaint Joseph University

Early life and education

Karam was born in Jezzine on 2 February 1950.[1][2] He hails from a Maronite family.[3] His parents are Massoud Karam who was a merchant and Victoria Aziz. He received a degree in law from Saint Joseph University in Beirut.[1]

Career

Following his graduation Karam worked as a lawyer.[1] He was appointed mohafez (governor) of Bekaa in 1990 and mohafez of Beirut city in 1991.[1] He was named as the ambassador of Lebanon to the United States of America in 1992 and presented his credentials to President George Bush on 8 September.[4] Karam resigned from office in August 1993.[5] Then he continued to work as a lawyer in Lebanon.[1]

Alliances and views

Karam was part of the Qornet Shehwan movement and was one of the political figures, including Samir Frangieh and Walid Jumblatt, who supported the implementation of the Taif accords and the withdrawal of Syrian troops from Lebanon.[6] Karam left the Qornet Shehwan movement in May 2005 before the elections.[7] He was close to the Lebanese journalist and politician Gebran Tueni who was assassinated in December 2005. Following the assassination Karam argued that the incident was a catastrophe and was carried out by the Syrian forces led by the Syrian President Bashar Assad.[8] Both Tueni and Karam stated in 2000 that Syria did not consider Lebanon as a sovereign country, but as a satellite country under its domination due to the fact that Lebanon could not take part in the negotiations with Israel.[9]

Karam was among the signatories of the Statement of Solidarity which was issued at the beginning of the Syrian civil war in April 2011. The statement expressed the solidarity of the Lebanese intellectuals with Syrians in their struggle against Bashar Assad.[10]

Personal life

Karam married Alice Mogabgab in 1997, and they had three children, two daughters and a son.[1]

References
  1. Who's Who in Lebanon (19th ed.). Beirut: Publitec Publications. 2007. p. 189. ISBN 978-3-598-07734-0.
  2. "Karam: "The Iranians are playing with fire" in Lebanon". Lebanese Forces. 8 December 2007. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
  3. Robert G. Rabil (2001). "The Maronites and Syrian Withdrawal: From "Isolationists" to "Traitors"?". Middle East Policy. 8 (3): 36. doi:10.1111/1475-4967.00025.
  4. "Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George H. W. Bush (1992-1993, Book II)". GovInfo. 1 August 1992. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
  5. "Lebanese ambassador resigns abruptly". United Press International. 6 August 1993. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
  6. Martha Neff Kessler; George Emile Irani; Peter Gubser; Augustus Richard Norton (2001). "Lebanon and Syria: Internal and Regional Dimensions". Middle East Policy. 8 (3): 6. doi:10.1111/1475-4967.00024.
  7. "Lebanon parties eye joint poll lists". Al Jazeera. 12 May 2005. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
  8. Nicholas Blanford (13 December 2005). "Top Lebanese journalist killed". The Christian Science Monitor. Beirut. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
  9. Simon Haddad (2002). "Lebanese Christians'Attitudes Toward Israel and the Peace Process". Studies in Conflict & Terrorism. 25 (6): 409. doi:10.1080/10576100290101287.
  10. "Lebanon: An important statement of solidarity with the people of Syria". RPS Newsletter. 30 April 2011. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
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