Omar Karami

Omar Abdul Hamid Karami (last name also spelled Karamé and Karameh) (Arabic: عمر عبد الحميد كرامي‎‎; 7 September 1934 – 1 January 2015) was the Prime Minister of Lebanon on two separate occasions. He was Prime Minister for the first time from 24 December 1990, when Selim al-Hoss gave up power, until 13 May 1992, when he resigned due to economical instability. He was sworn in again on 26 October 2004 and resigned on 19 April 2005, amid protests following the murder of the ex-prime minister, Rafik Hariri.

Early life and education

Karami was born into Sunni Muslim family in the northern Lebanese town of An Nouri, near Tripoli on 7 September 1934. He is the son of former Prime Minister and independence hero Abdul Hamid Karami. He is the brother of Arab nationalist eight-time Prime Minister Rashid Karami, who was assassinated in 1987. Omar Karami holds a degree in law, which he received from Cairo University in 1956.

Career and alliances

Karami worked as both lawyer and businessman. In 1989, he was appointed education minister and on 24 December 1990, prime minister. He was in office until December 1992 when he was forced to resign due to economic crisis, which led to street riots. 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].

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, something Karami's government opposed. 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, although it remained temporarily in a caretaker role.

Ten days after the resignation, following protests in Beirut that were supportive of Syria, President Émile Lahoud re-appointed Karami as prime minister on 10 March and asked him to form a new government. With the backing of a majority of deputies, Karami called on all parties to join a government of national unity.

On 13 April, after failing to create a new government, Karami resigned again. He was replaced by Najib Mikati in the post. 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. Karami did not run for office in the 2005 general elections.

Personal life

Omar Karami is the father of Faisal Karami, former sports & youth minister of Lebanon. He died after a long illness on 1 January 2015.