Nassib Lahoud Dies after Long Battle with Illness
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
The head of the Democratic Renewal Movement, former MP Nassib Lahoud, passed away at dawn Thursday after a long battle with illness. He was 68.
Lahoud, who was a lawmaker between 1991 and 2005, died at Hotel Dieu Hospital in Ashrafiyeh.
The presidential contender has held various political posts, including ambassador to Washington and minister of state.
In 2001, he contributed to the establishment of the Qornet Shahwan coalition of center-right Christian politicians. The same year, he founded along with hundreds of Lebanese intellectuals the Democratic Renewal Movement.
He lost in the 2005 parliamentary elections in his Metn district at the head of the opposition list and withdrew from the race in 2009.
Lahoud had been a prominent figure in the March 14-led coalition that was established after ex-Premier Rafik Hariri’s Feb. 2005 assassination and the ensuing withdrawal of Syrian troops from Lebanon.
He had limited political functions lately due to his illness but U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Jeffrey Feltman held talks with him during his visit to Beirut in December.
The Democratic Renewal Movement met for the first time under Lahoud in August last year after he returned to Lebanon from medical treatment in France. He stressed that his group was independent and was no longer part of any political coalition.
Lahoud is survived by his wife Abla Festoq and their two children Salim and Joumana.
The funeral procession will be held at the St. George Cathedral in downtown Beirut on Saturday. The family will accept condolences on February 5 and 6 in his residence at his hometown of Baabdat.
There will also be condolences on February 7 and 8 at his home in Ashrafiyeh.
02 February 2012, 08:39
14
one of the rare statesmen our country ever had. may he rest in peace.
02 February 2012, 08:49
04
sure he was. unlike the other lahoud!
may his soul rest in piece!
02 February 2012, 09:12
14
Lebanon will miss this genuine and real resistant Lebanese statesman .... may his sole rest in peace....and God help Lebanon...
02 February 2012, 09:18
03
Such a great loss not for Lebanon only . He will remain a dear friend. Condolences to Abla, Salim & Joumana
02 February 2012, 09:29
02
God took an honourable man and kept back the trash like AOUN and his cronies
02 February 2012, 09:34
02
One of the very few who I deeply respected in the Lebanese political areana. I am saddened bye his death. RIP. (I was hoping he would make it to presidency)
02 February 2012, 10:57
13
Allah yer7amak ya cheikh Nassib, another and between the last politicians that ever cared for this tiny land...
02 February 2012, 12:10
01
Le Liban perd un grand homme
Metn perd un représentant politique honnête et respecte
02 February 2012, 12:19
01
Allah yer7am trabak ... one of the last few who deserve to be called politicians ... really a true statesman.
02 February 2012, 12:41
13
yes he was one of the few decent politicians lebanon ever had, may he rest in peace
02 February 2012, 13:13
04
What a loss...he was a decent and logical man...Very rare in Lebanon. RIP.
02 February 2012, 13:47
30
Nassib Lahoud ... one of those that sold Lebanon to the Syrian by acting as the Lebanese ambassador @ the UN when Taëf was signed and supported by the UNSC.
Decent? Logical? Regretted? Not at all. Respected, maybe. But we do not have to forget also the dark side of that man
02 February 2012, 14:59
01
What a loss....He was one of the few decent and honest politicians in Lebanon.
May he rest in peace...
I remember very well when Israel attacked Lebanon in 1996, and many flew from the south of Lebanon to Achrafieh. Mr. Lahoud and his wife were the first to jump and help the refugees who were staying at the public schools in Achrafieh...
Pr. Nicolas Zouain.
02 February 2012, 15:36
02
He was a very Good Man, a very Good and True Lebanese. What a great loss. May his soul rest in Peace and in Paradise.He will remain in my memory as a very dear friend. Condolences to Abla,Salim & Joumana , and to Samir and Laura.
02 February 2012, 16:21
02
Sad that we keep recognizing Statemen , only after they are gone.
Mr Lahoud was a great exemple; i hope that something will be done in order to inspire lebanese leaders across the board...
02 February 2012, 18:09
00
Michel Aoun ... the man who sold Lebanon to the Syrian by opening the door to the Syrian Air force and then running away like a wet pussy when they invaded after promising his people and his men that he will die fighting, leaving his soldiers to die under Syrian tanks. To rub salt into the wound he stole millions of his soldiers pay and put them is European banks under his and his wife's name.
Decent? Truthful? Logical? Brave? Heroic? Honest? Loyal? Regretted? Not at all. Respected, are you kidding. Coward? Liar? Crazy? Corrupt? Traitor? Deserter? Failed? definitely, his legacy.
02 February 2012, 18:23
00
what a loss, he could teach a thing or two aoun and bassil about decency, honesty, bravery.
02 February 2012, 20:53
00
He was a good man who got stiffed good by his closest allies, the phonies, who now shed alligator tears on him and who he disowned. May his soul rest in peace. But of course this comment will most probably not get published by the alligators of Naharnet. If by chance it does get published, though, it will get the thumbs down by the baby alligators.
02 February 2012, 21:12
00
Great Lebanese statesman. we will miss him. Let's not forget also he is the son of the Great Selim Lahoud.
02 February 2012, 21:35
00
May his soul rest in peace , My Condolences to Lahoud's Family , Big Loss to the country , good Man and very good Politician.
02 February 2012, 22:08
00
I wish you had been our President instead of the infamous Emile...
03 February 2012, 08:17
00
My sincere condolences to his widow and his children. May he rest in peace. We have indeed lost an honest and respected statesman. There aren;t too many of them defending this tiny land. It is also ironic that our actual politicians realized his great values after his death.As the french proverb says: Les bons s'en vont et les mauvais restent, namely Aoun, Bassil, Nasrallah, Iam wahab and the rest of this disfunctionnal clique.
What are the chances that our crooks of politicians will use his legacy to redress Lebanon and stop their specialty which is theft and corruption.. hummm I am dreaming huh guys... wow
03 February 2012, 23:48
00
My condolence for Lahoud's family! Lebanon lost a great politician and a leader by example! May his soul rest in peace!
