Ghassan moukheiber biography of albert

BSHARRI, Lebanon — Atop the stirring cliffs of St. Elias Mountain and a short drive from some of the last cedars of Lebanon, the Rev. Joseph Sukkar shepherds a service for one of the Arab world’s oldest Christian sects--and perhaps its most frustrated.

The cedars and mountains near his Maronite Catholic church long symbolized Lebanon’s Christians: their distinctiveness in a Middle East that is overwhelmingly Muslim and their salvation in village redoubts that protected them in times of trouble.

The times are troubled again. Today, though, those mountains and cedars provide another symbol.

They speak of a community’s isolation, a growing fear that the Christians’ place is more and more threatened in a country whose politics, culture and economy they dominated for 50 years.

Like the cedars that once blanketed Lebanon, the reach of Christians has receded, giving rise to anger and frustration that could endanger Lebanon’s fragile, Western democracy, an experiment that virtually stands alone in an authoritarian Arab world.

“The Christians today are splintered. They are nowhere to be found in government or in politics,” Sukkar said after his sermon at the church, bathed in soft sunlight and a mountain breeze.

Behind him, on the church’s stone wall, a piece of paper echoed those worshipers who glanced at it: “Don’t forget us, Mary.”

Lebanon’s Christians lost the 1975-90 civil war, a devastating conflict that some darkly hint is not yet over.

To stop the fighting, they had to surrender the authority of the once all-powerful presidency, a post that is reserved for a Maronite. In parliament, Christians lost their 6-5 majority for an even split between Christians and Muslims that better reflects the country’s murky demographics, an explosive issue in itself because Lebanon has not conducted a census since 1932.

Longtime Christian leaders are in prison, in exile or in the grave.

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Lebanese Christians also feel abandoned by their histori

The lonely old Leo confides his love stories: ” What would a man be without the love of a woman? “

Albert Moukheiber became the marginal symbol, because in our Lebanese society the politician who dares to say no is unique.

“I was born on March 15 but I forgot the year.” Mischievous look, blue eyes he inherited from his father … ” that made many victims and continue to…” Albert Moukheiber is one of these strong characters that take away all suspicion from the first approach. A keen intelligence, a mixture of bravery and generosity, an outspoken coupled with a subtle speech and a good dose of humor and above all a something of ” Gavroche ” who has not aged a day despite the years. The penultimate of a family of ten children, Albert was born in Beit Mery in the “Moukheiber tribe” he said. Very young, he already devotes a total commitment to his mother, Catherine. “She instilled in us through rigorous exercise, that became the ritual of Sunday, the gift of speech … I ‘ve never written my parliamentary interventions. I owe my mother to be the speaker that I am. ” His father having been a professor of Arabic at the School of “Friends” in Broumana, where Albert continued his education, handles grain trade, without neglecting, on the contrary everything related to social work then established by Quakers Protestants, very active in Lebanon and Syria at the time. The young Albert then registered at the French Lycée. Why not with the Jesuits? Albert Moukheiber answers me praising, sincerely the Jesuits.  ” The president of the USJ, the Very Reverend Father Ducruet is entirely devoted for Lebanon … I met him one day and I told him he was my candidate for the Presidency of the Republic.” Politics, here we go again. Dr. Albert goes on to say his esteem also to the great missionaries of the Americ

Albert Moukheiber (Arabic: ألبير مخيبر; 1912 - 2002) was a Lebanese doctor, politician and a former Lebanese Parliamentary member who was widely known for his opposition to the Syrian military presence in Lebanon. He was also co-founder of the National Bloc Party.

Career

Albert Moukheiber was a deputy in the Lebanese Parliament since 1957, with the acceptation of 1992. He won in the 1960 elections and in 1964 elections in alliance with the National Liberal Party under the leadership of Camille Chamoun, and in 1968 he won his parliamentary seat in alliance with Representative Jamil Lahoud and in 1972. He was also elected as a deputy in the year 2000, representing the district of Matn, but he did not complete his term and died two years in his term.

Ministries

Among the many positions he held during his long political career were the position of Deputy Prime Minister in the government of President Saeb Salam (1972-1973), Minister of State in the government of Prime Minister Takieddin Solh (1973-1974), and Deputy Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament.

Death

He died in 2002 at the age of 88, before completing his term of office and his political legacy was succeeded by his nephew Ghassan Moukheiber.

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