Fun fact about #Lebanon's newly appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs:
A battle over the Lebanese embassy in DC took place in 1989, when Abdallah BouHabib was the ambassador. The Taif Agreement had gone into effect and Elias Hraoui was elected President in December of that year.
A battle over the Lebanese embassy in DC took place in 1989, when Abdallah BouHabib was the ambassador. The Taif Agreement had gone into effect and Elias Hraoui was elected President in December of that year.
Hraoui, immediately fired Michel Aoun from all his self-proclaimed posts, removed #Lebanon’s veteran ambassador to Washington, Bouhabib himself, and handed control of the embassy to the No. 2 diplomat at the time, Sleiman Rassi.
Yet Aoun - who was holding out with 20,000 troops at the presidential palace in Baabda refusing to recognize the Hraoui gov't - sent Bouhabib a telegram ordering him to stay put.
BouHabib, a staunch Aoun supporter, continued to occupy the ambassador’s office and residence.
BouHabib, a staunch Aoun supporter, continued to occupy the ambassador’s office and residence.
BouHabib argued that under foreign service regulations he was entitled to a two-month transition period to put his affairs in order and transfer the embassy to his successor.
However, #Lebanon’s PM at the time, Salim al-Hoss, decided to fire him immediately. Following Aoun's agenda, BouHabib had made derogatory statements about al-Hoss in the runup to the event.
Contrary to his wishes, BouHabib eventually conceded after Aoun was forced out of the Baabda palace following its bombardment by the Syrian regime's warplanes. Aoun eventually fled to France & remained in exile for 15 yrs before cutting a deal with the same regime & coming back.
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