Élias Sarkis
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Élias Sarkis (20 July 1924 – 27 June 1985) ( ar, إلياس سركيس) was a Lebanese lawyer and
President of Lebanon The President of the Lebanese Republic ( ar, رئيس الجمهورية اللبنانية, rayiys aljumhuriat allubnania; french: Président de la République Libanaise) is the head of state of Lebanon. The president is elected by the parliame ...
who served from 1976 to 1982.


Early life and education

Élias Sarkis was born in
Chebanieh Chbaniyeh ( ar, الشبانية, also spelled Shbaniyeh or Ishbaniyya) is a municipality in the Baabda District of Mount Lebanon Governorate, Lebanon. It is north of Beirut. Chbaniyeh has an average elevation of above sea level and a total land ...
, a mixed Christian-Druze mountain village, to a shopkeeping family on 20 July 1924. His family was
Maronite Christian Lebanese Maronite Christians ( ar, المسيحية المارونية في لبنان; syc, ܡܫܝܚܝ̈ܐ ܡܪ̈ܘܢܝܐ ܕܠܒܢܢ) are adherents of the Maronite Church in Lebanon, which is the largest Christian denomination in the country ...
. Sarkis attended the Chebanieh School and Frères School in Beirut. He began to work as a railway clerk during his university education, and then, graduated with a law degree from
Saint Joseph University Saint Joseph University of Beirut ( French: ''Université Saint-Joseph de Beyrouth'', abbreviated to and commonly known as "USJ") is a private Catholic research university located in Beirut, Lebanon, which was founded in 1875 by French Jesuit mis ...
in 1948.


Career

After graduation, Sarkis worked as a lawyer for three years. Next, he became the protege of Lebanese army commander
Fuad Chehab Fouad Abdullah Chehab ( ar, فُؤادْ عبد الله شِهاب; 19 March 1902 – 25 April 1973) was a Lebanese general and statesman who served as President of Lebanon from 1958 to 1964. He is considered to be the founder of the Lebanes ...
who would be the Lebanese president in 1958. Sarkis was then appointed magistrate of the court of accounts and then, director general of the chamber of the presidency of the Republic in 1953. Later, he was appointed governor of the central bank of Lebanon in 1968 and his tenure lasted for 9 years. His appointment was upon the request of then-president
Charles Helou Charles Helou ( ar, شارل الحلو; 25 September 1913 – 7 January 2001) was a Lebanese politician and President of Lebanon from 1964 to 1970. Early life and education Born in Beirut on 25 September 1913, Helou was the scion of a powerf ...
, who asked him to reorganize the Lebanese banking systems facing a bank crisis in 1968.


Presidency

Sarkis contested the presidential election of 1970 as Chehab's protégé and was expected to win but was defeated by
Suleiman Frangieh Suleiman Kabalan Frangieh, last name also spelled ''Frangié,'' ''Franjieh,'' or ''Franjiyeh'' (, 15 June 1910 – 23 July 1992), was a Lebanese Maronite politician who was President of Lebanon from 1970 to 1976. Early life and education Sulei ...
by a single vote. Sarkis was, however, elected President for six-year term on 8 May 1976, while the
Lebanese Civil War The Lebanese Civil War ( ar, الحرب الأهلية اللبنانية, translit=Al-Ḥarb al-Ahliyyah al-Libnāniyyah) was a multifaceted armed conflict that took place from 1975 to 1990. It resulted in an estimated 120,000 fatalities a ...
was raging. He was a candidate of Damascus and preferred president of
Hafez Assad Hafez al-Assad ', , (, 6 October 1930 – 10 June 2000) was a Syrian statesman and military officer who served as President of Syria from taking power in 1971 until his death in 2000. He was also Prime Minister of Syria from 1970 to 197 ...
. The election was held in the Versailles-style Esseily Villa, a private residence in Southeastern Beirut, since The National Assembly building was not safe due to ongoing attacks and battle. Sixty-six members of the Assembly elected him president on 8 May 1976. On the other hand, twenty-nine members of the Assembly boycotted the session. These members were among leftist and Palestinian groups. His sworn ceremony could not also be held at the Assembly, and he had to sworn at a hotel in the eastern city of Shtaura, 25 miles from Beirut. Sarkis could move to office four months after his election on 23 September 1976, since former President Frangieh objected at first to leave office. Sarkis could appoint
Salim Hoss Selim Ahmed Hoss ( ar, سليم أحمد الحص; also transliterated ''Salim Al-Hoss;'' born 20 December 1929) is a veteran Lebanese politician who served as the Prime Minister of Lebanon and a longtime Member of Parliament representing his h ...
as prime minister in December 1976. When Sarkis effectively began to serve as the President, he could not forge a lasting accommodation between Christian and Muslim factions. Also, the growing independent power of the Palestinian guerrillas in Lebanon prompted two large-scale Israeli attacks, in 1978 and 1982. Several nationalist and leftist political parties and organizations created the Lebanese National Movement (LNM) under the leadership of
Kamal Jumblatt Kamal Fouad Jumblatt ( ar, كمال فؤاد جنبلاط; 6 December 1917 – 16 March 1977) was a Lebanese politician who founded the Progressive Socialist Party. He led the National Movement during the civil war against the Lebanese Front. H ...
in 1976. The conservative forces led by the Christian Kataeib (Phalange) Party was another block called the Lebanese Front. President Sarkis tried various initiatives to find a negotiated settlement to the conflict, but all were unsuccessful. Because these two groups had their own goals. The Lebanese Front was gradually strengthened its position, awaiting favorable regional developments to impose its own will. The LNM, on the other hand, was too dependent on the Palestinians and unable to initiate a political negotiation process in ceasing the civil war. In November 1976, Sarkis wanted to include Druze za'im
Kamal Jumblatt Kamal Fouad Jumblatt ( ar, كمال فؤاد جنبلاط; 6 December 1917 – 16 March 1977) was a Lebanese politician who founded the Progressive Socialist Party. He led the National Movement during the civil war against the Lebanese Front. H ...
in the cabinet. However,
Hafez Assad Hafez al-Assad ', , (, 6 October 1930 – 10 June 2000) was a Syrian statesman and military officer who served as President of Syria from taking power in 1971 until his death in 2000. He was also Prime Minister of Syria from 1970 to 197 ...
did not permit it due to Jumblatt's clear opposition to
Syria Syria ( ar, سُورِيَا or سُورِيَة, translit=Sūriyā), officially the Syrian Arab Republic ( ar, الجمهورية العربية السورية, al-Jumhūrīyah al-ʻArabīyah as-Sūrīyah), is a Western Asian country loc ...
's increasing influence in Lebanon. On 5 March 1980, Sarkis developed his policy as part of his attempts to create national accord: unity, independence, parliamentarian democracy, rejecting the
Camp David Accords The Camp David Accords were a pair of political agreements signed by Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin on 17 September 1978, following twelve days of secret negotiations at Camp David, the country retrea ...
between Egypt and Israel. In June 1980,
Salim Hoss Selim Ahmed Hoss ( ar, سليم أحمد الحص; also transliterated ''Salim Al-Hoss;'' born 20 December 1929) is a veteran Lebanese politician who served as the Prime Minister of Lebanon and a longtime Member of Parliament representing his h ...
resigned in protest against his inability to create peace in Lebanon. After much difficulties, Sarkis was able to appoint
Shafik Wazzan Shafik Al-Wazzan ( ar, شفيق الوزان, January 16, 1925 – July 8, 1999) was a Lebanese politician who served as the 27th Prime Minister of Lebanon from 1980 until 1984. In December 1991, Wazzan was wounded when a car bomb exploded in th ...
as new prime minister. Sarkis was described as one who was in office but not in power. Just before the end of his term in 1982, Israel invaded southern Lebanon in the
1982 Lebanon War The 1982 Lebanon War, dubbed Operation Peace for Galilee ( he, מבצע שלום הגליל, or מבצע של"ג ''Mivtsa Shlom HaGalil'' or ''Mivtsa Sheleg'') by the Israeli government, later known in Israel as the Lebanon War or the First L ...
and had advanced to the outskirts of
Beirut Beirut, french: Beyrouth is the capital and largest city of Lebanon. , Greater Beirut has a population of 2.5 million, which makes it the third-largest city in the Levant region. The city is situated on a peninsula at the midpoint o ...
. He organized a peacekeeping force involving U.S., British, French and Italian troops in Beirut after the Israeli invasion of Lebanon to drive out the Palestine Liberation Organization in 1982. In addition, Sarkis formed the rescue committee in 1982 to make arrangements regarding the results of the Israeli invasion. The members of the committee included the Amal movement’s leader,
Nabih Berri Nabih Berri ( ar, نبيه مصطفى بري, translit=Nabīh Muṣṭafā Barriyy, links=hh; born 28 January 1938) is a Lebanese Shia politician who has been serving as Speaker of the Parliament of Lebanon since 1992. He heads the Amal Moveme ...
, and the hardline Christian leader
Bashir Gemayel Bachir Pierre Gemayel ( ; 10 November 1947 – 14 September 1982) was a Lebanese militia commander who led the Lebanese Forces, the military wing of the Kataeb Party in the Lebanese Civil War and was elected President of Lebanon in 1982. ...
. The body was significant in that it caused tensions in the Amal movement, because
Hussein Musawi Husayn Al-Musawi (also Hussein Musawi) is a Lebanese who founded the now-dissolved pro-Iranian Islamist militia Islamic Amal in 1982. He was a Shia from Baalbek. Musawi was a "chemistry teacher turned militia commander" who became the deputy ...
left the Amal protesting against Berri and founded
Islamic Amal Islamic Amal (in Arabic أمل الإسلامية) was a Lebanese Shia military movement based in Baalbek in the Beqaa Valley, Islamic Amal was led by Husayn Al-Musawi, who was also a leading figure in Hezbollah. The movement got its start in June ...
after this event. Sarkis gained the respect of many Lebanese during his term, but critics accused him of indecisiveness. However, he was regarded as the choice of Syria but not the Muslim-Palestinian alliance. For that reason, 29 members of the Assembly boycotted the election session.


Succession

Sarkis was to be succeeded by
Bachir Gemayel Bachir Pierre Gemayel ( ; 10 November 1947 – 14 September 1982) was a Lebanese militia commander who led the Lebanese Forces, the military wing of the Kataeb Party in the Lebanese Civil War and was elected President of Lebanon in 1982 ...
, who was elected president on 23 August 1982 with 57 votes. However, Gemayel was assassinated 21 days before he was due to take office.
Amine Gemayel Amine Pierre Gemayel ( ar, أمين بيار الجميٌل ; (born 22 January 1942) is a Lebanese Maronite politician who served as President of Lebanon from 1982 to 1988. Born in Bikfaya, his father was Pierre Gemayel, the founder of the K ...
, Bachir's brother, was subsequently elected in his stead, and Sarkis handed the presidency over to him on 23 September 1982.


Death

Sarkis died in
Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...
from cancer on 27 June 1985, at the age of 60. His body was returned to Lebanon. Then-Lebanese President Amine Gemayel led mourners at his funeral in Beirut on 29 June 1985. The requiem mass in
East Beirut Beirut, french: Beyrouth is the capital and largest city of Lebanon. , Greater Beirut has a population of 2.5 million, which makes it the third-largest city in the Levant region. The city is situated on a peninsula at the midpoint o ...
was attended by a Syrian delegation led by a government minister representing then Syrian president Hafez Assad. His body was buried in his hometown, Chebanieh, on the same day.


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Sarkis, Elias 20th-century Lebanese lawyers 1924 births 1985 deaths Deaths from cancer in France Governors of Banque du Liban Leaders of organizations Lebanese Maronites Lebanese people of Armenian descent People of the Lebanese Civil War Presidents of Lebanon Saint Joseph University alumni