15 July 2009
BEIRUT: Former Prime Minister Amin al-Hafez was laid to rest on Tuesday a day after he died at the age of 83 from an undisclosed chronic illness. His coffin, draped in the Lebanese flag, was transported with a police convoy from Hotel Dieu Hospital in Beirut to his hometown of Tripoli in northern Lebanon.
Grand Mufti Sheikh Mohammad Rashid Qabbani, who led the burial prayers at Tripoli's Tinal mosque, described Hafez as a "national and Arab symbol who worked hard for his nation."
The funeral was attended by caretaker Prime Minister Fouad Siniora, MP Mohammad Abdel-Latif Kabbara, representing Speaker Nabih Berri, Samir al-Jisr representing Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri, Former Prime Minister Omar Karami, Omar Hamzeh representing Former Prime Minister Najib Mikati, Finance Minister Mohammad Chatah and Minister of State Khaled Qabbani.
Hafez served a turbulent two-month term in 1973 before he was forced to resign.
Caretaker Premier Siniora announced a three-day mourning period for Hafez, during which flags at state institutions will be flown at half-mast.
Hafez died in a Beirut hospital after a long-running battle with an undisclosed chronic illness, medical officials said.
A Sunni Muslim, he was picked by President Suleiman Franjieh to form a government in 1973. Although the prime minister's job is reserved for a Sunni under Lebanon's sectarian power-sharing system, Sunni religious leaders who opposed Franjieh refused to recognize the appointment. Hafez resigned about two months later.
The crisis, along with a battle between Lebanese troops and Palestinian guerrillas that year, contributed to the tensions that burst into all-out civil war in 1975. The sectarian conflict lasted 15 years and killed 150,000 people.
Hafez also served as Member of Parliament, representing his hometown of Tripoli for 36 years from 1960 to 1996.
Head of the Parliament's Foreign Affairs Commission for more than 30, Hafez attended the United Nations meeting that concluded in the declaration of Resolution 425 calling upon Israel to withdraw for occupied Lebanese territories.
On Tuesday, Culture Minister, Tamam Salam said the loss of Hafez left "a deep trace in the hearts of all his family acquaintances." He said the late Hafez had a high sense of values and morals "in addition to his wisdom and worthy contributions."
"Premier Hafez was a reference," he said. - The Daily Star
Copyright The Daily Star 2009.
