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Pierre Amine GemayelPresident of Lebanon from 1982 to 1988 and leader of the Kataeb Party.
Date of Birth: 17.08.1972
Country:  Lebanon |
Content:
- Pierre Amin Gemayel: A Life of Leadership and Tragedy
- Family Life
- Assassination
- International Reactions
Pierre Amin Gemayel: A Life of Leadership and Tragedy
Early Life and CareerPierre Amin Gemayel, the son of Amine Gemayel and grandson of Pierre Gemayel, was born on September 23, 1972, in Bikfaya, Lebanon. Raised by governesses in Lyon, France, where his prominent political family resided, he attended an elite college and later pursued a degree in international relations at the Polytechnic University. Despite his family's status, Gemayel fulfilled his military service in Lebanon after graduation.
During the civil war, the Gemayel family lived outside Lebanon. However, in 1982, a portion of the family returned as Pierre's father, Amine, assumed the presidency. Amine succeeded his brother, Bashir Gemayel, who was assassinated in 1982. In 1988, Pierre's father was forced to flee to France due to threats on his life, where he would remain until the early 21st century.
Upon returning to Lebanon, Pierre Gemayel worked in his father's law firm. In 1996, he became the Minister of Defense, a position he held until 2000 when it was transferred to a Sunni representative. In 2000, Gemayel established his own business venture, a French restaurant in France. He returned to politics in 2002 as Minister of Labor and Social Affairs, and in 2004, he assumed the role of Minister of Industry.
Family Life
Pierre Gemayel married Pauline Gemayel, a Christian woman from a prominent Lebanese family. The couple had two sons, Martin and Henri.
Assassination
In the aftermath of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri's assassination, Lebanon witnessed a series of political killings. On November 21, 2006, Pierre Gemayel became a victim of one such attack. As the Minister of Industry was driving home to his family's estate in Bikfaya, his silver Kia sedan was ambushed at an intersection in the Beirut suburb of Sin el Fil. Assailants emerged from surrounding vehicles and opened fire on Gemayel's car, fatally wounding him and one of his bodyguards. The attackers escaped the scene.
International Reactions
United States:Deputy Secretary of State Nicholas Burns condemned the assassination as "an act of terrorism and intimidation against the coalition that was formed on March 14."
Russia:The Russian Foreign Ministry denounced the attack and expressed regret over Lebanon's ongoing instability.
United Kingdom:Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett stated that the killing further complicated the situation in Lebanon and was "deeply disturbing and alarming."
France:President Jacques Chirac demanded the perpetrators be "arrested and punished." Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy condemned the act as an attempt to destabilize Lebanon.
