1942 -
President of Lebanon, 1982 - 1988.
Amin Jumayyil (or Gemayel) studied law at St. Joseph University in Beirut, and is noted for his oratorical skills in Arabic. A moderate who was not active in the Phalange party, founded by his father, Pierre Jumayyil, he concentrated on his political career after being elected to parliament in 1970, the youngest deputy in the body. Jumayyil was named president on 23 September 1982 after the assassination of his brother Bashir Jumayyil, through consensus among the various political factions, key Arab states, and Western powers. He based his policies on his alliance with the United States, which ultimately led to the unraveling of his presidency. Under pressure from Syria, he abrogated the U.S. - brokered 1983 security agreement with Israel. On 17 February 1984, the last of the multinational force withdrew from Beirut. Without support, Jumayyil was a lame-duck president. He remained in office until the end of his term in 1988. Minutes before leaving office, he violated the terms of the 1943 National Pact (which required a Sunni Muslim serve as prime minister) by appointing fellow Maronite Christian Gen. Michel Aoun to the post. Given his poor relations with Syria, he left Lebanon and went into exile.
Jumayyil taught at Harvard University, wrote, and lectured. The death of Syrian president Hafiz al-Asad in June 1990 paved the way for his return to Lebanon. Jumayyil found an ally in Druze leader Walid Jumblatt, who forsook his traditionally pro-Syrian line to join what had been the Maronite campaign against Syria.
Bibliography
Jumayyil, Amin. Rebuilding Lebanon's Future. Lanham, MD: University Press of America, 1992.
— MAJED HALAWI
UPDATED BY MICHAEL R. FISCHBACH
