Ali Eid

Ali Eid (14 July 1940 – 25 December 2015) was a Lebanese politician. He was the leader of the Alawite Community.[1] He founded the Arab Democratic Party in 1972 and until his death served as General Secretary of the Arab Democratic Party.

Ali Eid
Ali Eid at the presidential suite of the Sheraton Hotel - Damascus 2008
General Secretary of the Arab Democratic Party
In office
1972–2015
Preceded byPosition established
Succeeded byRifaat Eid
Personal details
Born(1940-07-14)14 July 1940
Tripoli, Lebanon
Died25 December 2015(2015-12-25) (aged 75)
Damascus, Syria
Political partyArab Democratic Party
Spouse(s)Fatat Marouch
ChildrenYoussef, Alissar, Rifaat Eid, Zoulficar (born 1978, died in 1989), Noureddine, Mohsen, Lubna, Issa, Zoulficar (born 1990)
ResidenceJabal Mohsen
Alma materPSPA at American University of Beirut
ProfessionPolitician

Early life

Ali Eid was born in Tabbaneh, Tripoli, Lebanon. The eldest son of Youssef Eid, a wheat dealer and his wife Amoun Eid. He began his studies at Tripoli Boys School (TBS), also known as the American School in Tripoli. In the summer he would study at the place of Sheikh Khoder in Tabbaneh, he always excelled in his studies coming first in his class.

Political career

In 1960 Ali Eid decided to continue his studies in United States of America, majoring in Biochemistry. Ali Eid was known amongst his peers for his patriotism, revolutionary spirit, and enthusiasm towards justice. Ali Eid returned to Lebanon in 1960, and attended the American University of Beirut (AUB) and majored in Political Science & Public Administration (PSPA). During his studies and time in Beirut, he discovered that the political structure of the Lebanese system deprived the people of his religious sect, Alawites, of their rights at any level.[2]

In 1972 Ali Eid began his political life after he founded (The Alawite Youth Movement), and his alliance with the late Syrian President Hafez Al-Assad. In 1977 Ali Eid and a group of friends founded The Front Opposing Patriotism party. Its founders were Souhale Hamadah (General Secretary) Ali Eid as (Vice president), Rashid Al-Mukadim, George Mourani, and Nasib Al-Khatib. In 1982 The Front Opposing Patriotism was resolved and The Arabic Democratic Party was founded with Ali Eid being the general secretary. In 1989 he was hit by a catastrophe, the death of his son Zoulficar due to an unexploded bomb from the Lebanese civil war.

Ali Eid was appointed to newly established Alawite seat in the Lebanese Parliament in 1991 as a deputy, which was created following the Taif Agreement.[3]

He was the general secretary of the Arab Democratic Party in Lebanon, and though he and his party were pro-Syrian during the Lebanese Civil War, he and other Lebanese Alawites have since become more neutral due to the involvement of the Syrians in him losing the Alawite Parliament Seat to the late Alawite Deputy Ahmad Habous in 1996.[4]

In 2010, explosives were found near his home in Jabal Mohsen, Tripoli, and subsequently dismantled.[5] In March 2015, Eid's brother Bader was assassinated in the village of Kuweikhat in Akkar.[6][7]

Death

On 25 December 2015, it was announced that Eid had died in Damascus, Syria at the age of 75.[8]

References
  1. http://www.assafir.com/Article.aspx?EditionId=2246&ChannelId=53881&ArticleId=327&Author=غسان%20ريفي
  2. "Lebanon's Alawi: A Minority Struggles in a 'Nation' of Sects | Al Akhbar English". 26 February 2014. Archived from the original on 26 February 2014.
  3. "Alawite from Tripoli, Ali Eid was appointed to the newly-established Alawite seat in 1991."
  4. "Former Tripoli MP Ali Eid, who ran in the 2000 elections on former Premier Omar Karami's list, said: 'The Allawite sect was never granted any privileges during Syria's 29-year presence. Their regime is secular, not sectarian like here, and thus for them it is not logical to distinguish any specific sect." Archived 2007-09-28 at the Wayback Machine
  5. "Grenades found near residence of Arab Democratic Party leader". 28 January 2010. Archived from the original on 15 May 2012. Retrieved 14 May 2012.
  6. "Gunmen kill brother of Alawite politician in Lebanon". news.yahoo.com.
  7. "Brother of pro-Assad leader killed in northern Lebanon". Middle East Eye.
  8. "Ex-ADP chief Ali Eid dies in Syria at age of 75". The Daily Star Newspaper - Lebanon.
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