Hussein al-Husseini: The Guardian of the Taif Accord

Arab World

January 12th, 9:40am

Beirut - Nazir Rida

The late Saudi King Fahd bin Abdulaziz, receiving Al-Husseini in Jeddah in October 1989 (Getty Images)

Late Lebanese Parliament Speaker Hussein al-Husseini was known as the “godfather” of the Taif Agreement, thanks to his ingenuity in resolving disputes and mediating between the country’s conflicting parties, before the signing of the Lebanese national reconciliation agreement in 1989. Many see him as the guardian of the Taif Accord and the most prominent advocate of its implementation. He has also pushed for the development of the political system in Lebanon “in a way that guarantees loyalty to the state and its institutions.” Illness has prevented Al-Husseini from attending the Taif Forum, which was sponsored by the Embassy of Saudi Arabia at the UNESCO Palace in Beirut last month. His health condition worsened, until he passed away on Wednesday at the age of 86, leaving behind a rich political career and a leading role in the signing of the historic agreement that ended Lebanon’s civil war. Under the sponsorship of Saudi Arabia, Lebanon’s disputing leaders met in the Saudi city of Taif in September 1989 and signed what has become known as the Lebanese national reconciliation agreement, putting an end to 15 years of civil war. Since 1989, Al-Husseini has kept the minutes of those meetings locked in his office, and refused to make them public. Those who know him say that he did so to prevent opening old wounds, or provoking political crises. In this sense, he has always been the guardian of national unity. His diplomacy and moderation qualified him to be the link between the warring parties at that time. Al-Husseini’s clean reputation and neutrality towards the disputing sides at that time were acclaimed by the Lebanese people from all components. His “patriotism and honesty,” as stated in his obituaries on Wednesday, made him keen not to reveal any “useless” disputes that would obstruct the Lebanese pact that was established between the sects, and distinguished Lebanon in terms of coexistence among its people regardless of their various affiliations. Al-Husseini would not have achieved this unifying role, had it not been for his experience, which was characterized by moderation and diplomacy. He was a man of dialogue, and did not get involved in the Lebanese war as a party, although he was one of the founders of the Amal Movement in 1973, and assumed its presidency between 1978 and 1980, after the disappearance of its founder, Imam Musa al-Sadr. Al-Husseini was elected deputy for the Baalbek-Hermel constituency in the Bekaa region for five consecutive terms, the first in 1972 until his resignation from Parliament in 2008. In 2018, he announced his abstention from running in the parliamentary elections, which practically marked the end of his political career. He presided over the House of Representatives during the Lebanese Civil War between 1984 and 1992. Al-Husseini is known for his moderation and diplomacy, and his remoteness from political disputes that have marked the political scene in Lebanon since the end of the civil war and repeatedly paralyzed the institutions and government work. With his departure, Lebanon and the Arab world lose one of the pillars of legislation, humanity and high-end diplomacy, as stated by Lebanon’s National New Agency (NNA).

from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/4093986/hussein-al-husseini-guardian-taif-accord