Elias Murr

Elias Murr (Arabic: إلياس المرّ‎ ʾIlyās al-Murr) (born in 1962) is a Lebanese politician who held different cabinet positions. He is known to be one of the most influential politicians in the Middle East and largest media conglomerate in the region.

Elias Murr
Elias Murr - 2007 photo
Born (1962-01-30) 30 January 1962
Bteghrine, Lebanon
NationalityLebanese
Parent(s)
RelativesMirna Murr (sister)

Early life and education

Murr was born on 30 January 1962 in Bteghrine. He is the son of former deputy prime minister and interior minister, Michel Murr.[1] He holds a master's degree in law.[2]

Political career

Elias Murr started his political career as the mayor of Bteghrine, his hometown, from 1982 till 1996.[3]

From 2000 to 2005 Murr was Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior and Municipalities, replacing his father Michel Murr.[4] In 2001 he oversaw the drafting and signature of the International Labour Organization at the convention to execute the Action program to protect working children and to combat and eliminate child labor.[5][6] During his ministry, Murr was appointed acting minister of foreign affairs.[7]

Murr was appointed Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defense from 2005 and 2008.[7]

Murr supports international police cooperation, and served from 2000-2004 as President of the Arab Interior Minister Council, which coordinates internal security and crime fighting among Arab nations.[8]

In 2009, Elias Murr was appointed Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister.[9]

In 2010, Murr was a member of the Lebanese National Dialogue committee.[10]

In October 2013, Murr was appointed as the President of the Board of the Interpol Foundation For a Safer world,[11] which aims to strengthen the capabilities of Interpol to fight money laundering, organized crime and financing of terrorism.

Murr took part in many negotiations with the United Nations.[12] and oversaw the deployment of 25,000 soldiers for the implementation of UNSC resolution 1701, preserving the cease fire mandated by the international community. Elias Murr is an honored officer of the National Cedar Legion and the holder of the Grand Cross of the Order of Spain.[7]

Assassination attempt

On 12 July 2005, Murr was targeted by a circa 20-kg improvised explosive device in the city of Antelias, 5 km north of Beirut. 12 people were injured, and one person was killed by the explosion that almost took the life of the Deputy Prime Minister at the time.[13] Murr said that he knew an attempt on his life had been planned for months, and had informed the state security services.[14]

Business activities

In parallel with his political endeavors, Murr spent the past twenty years at the helm of "Group Murr", founded in 1957 by his father as a construction company[15] operating in the public works sector.

Group Murr is featured in Forbes' "TOP 100 MAKING AN IMPACT IN THE ARAB WORLD" list.[16]

In 2015, the group holds more than 25 companies operating across three continents and a wide range of segments of the international market, including: Construction, real estate and resort development, Engineering, Consumer products, Aviation services, Security, Commercial services for the shipping industry.[17]

Murr also serves as the Chairman of the Board of the Al Joumhouria News Corporation[18] the publisher of one of Lebanon's leading daily newspaper and of several other thematic periodicals.

After stopping publications throughout the Lebanese civil war, under H.E. Murr's leadership the Al Joumhouria newspaper saw its rebirth in 2011, and became the first Lebanese newspaper to embrace new media, by developing proprietary mobile applications, push notifications, and developing an award-winning website for its digital edition.[19] Murr is also the chairman of the board of Pan Arab News; a website currently under construction, marrying innovation and creativity with use smart technologies to offer its users a unique experience. Pan Arab News will tackle Middle East news as well as the latest events in the Gulf Region.[20]

WikiLeaks accusations

In December 2010, a Lebanese Newspaper posted on its website cables from WikiLeaks revealing[21][22] that Murr had separated the army from Hezbollah if a new war was to erupt on Israel's northern border.[23] He is quoted as having said:

"Israel would do well to avoid two things when it comes for Hizballah One, it must not touch the Blue Line or the UNSCR 1701 areas as this will keep Hizballah out of these areas. Two, Israel cannot bomb bridges and infrastructure in the Christian areas. The Christians were supporting Israel in 2006 until they started bombing their bridges. If Israel has to bomb all of these places in the Shia areas as a matter of operational concern, that is Hizballah's problem."[22][24]

During the two and a half hours conversation, Murr seemed intent on ensuring the Army stays out of the way so that Hizballah bears the full weight of an Israeli offensive; Murr wanted to spare the army from a war against Israel, as he said in one of the leaked cables: ´´I do not want thousands of our soldiers to die for no reason.´"[25]

gollark: That will fix everything.
gollark: Oh dear.
gollark: Hey, it IS broken.
gollark: test.
gollark: There is, yes.

References
  1. Abdelnour, Ziad K. (June 2003). "Michel and Elias Murr". Middle East Intelligence Bulletin. 5 (6). Retrieved 12 June 2012.
  2. "Biography for Elias Murr". SILObreaker. 15 January 2009. Archived from the original on 3 July 2009. Retrieved 1 May 2009.
  3. http://memim.com/elias-murr.html
  4. Ferran Izquierdo Brichs (27 November 2012). Political Regimes in the Arab World: Society and the Exercise of Power. Routledge. p. 220. ISBN 978-1-136-24087-4. Retrieved 17 March 2013.
  5. Lebanon to Adopt ILO Project to Stop Child Labor 2 August 2001, Al Bawaba
  6. to Adopt ILO Project to Stop Child Labor. 2 August 2001, lebanonwire.com
  8. http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Lebanon-News/2002/Jan-31/36284-interior-ministers-affirm-arab-standpoint.ashx
  9. Lebanese government of November 2009
  10. List of participants in national dialogue meetings Ya Libnan news, February 28, 2010
  11. Murr appointed head of INTERPOL Foundation for a Safer World 22 October 2013
  12. Press release UN, 2006 Archived 16 April 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  13. Lebanese minister hit by car bomb 12 July 2005, The Guardian
  14. Targeted Elias Murr tells of attack foretold Archived 12 January 2016 at the Wayback Machine 13 July 2005, Middle East Online
  16. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2 July 2015. Retrieved 2 July 2015.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  17. http://www.groupmurr.com/
  19. .
  20. http://www.groupmurr.com/media_groups/index/17
  21. "Al Akhbar Newspaper publishes US cables". Ya Libnan. 3 December 2010. Archived from the original on 13 January 2011. Retrieved 12 January 2011.
  22. Sison, Michele J. (11 March 2008). "Min Def worried that Hizballah war with Israel imminent". WikiLeaks/Al Akhbar (Lebanon). WikiLeaks cable: 08BEIRUT372. Archived from the original on 13 January 2011. Retrieved 14 January 2011. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  23. "Lebanon defense minister "offered invasion advice for Israel"". Ha'aretz. 3 December 2010.
  24. Amiri, Rannie (10 December 2010). "A Damning Wikileaks Revelation - The Story of Elias Murr, Saboteur". CounterPunch. Archived from the original on 14 January 2011. Retrieved 13 January 2011.
  25. "Lebanon also wants Israel to save them". New York Post. 3 December 2010.
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