Fouad Abou Nader

Lebanon

This article is part of the series: Politics and government of Lebanon

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Fouad Abou Nader (Arabic: فؤاد أبو ناضر‎) is a Lebanese leader.

Personal data

Born in Baskinta, (Metn, Mount-Lebanon, Lebanon) on June 27, 1956. Christian Maronite. Son of Antoine Abou Nader & Claude Pierre Gemayel. Married to Sandra Ghosn. Four children: Anthony, Georges, Maria & Paul. Completely fluent in English, French & Arabic.

After attending school at Collège Notre-Dame de Jamhour and Collège Mont La Salle, he joined the American University of Beirut. Because of the war, he continued his medical studies at the Université Saint-Joseph from which he graduated as a doctor in 1982.

Kataeb Social Democratic Party activist

He joined the Kataeb Social Democratic Party (led by his grandfather Sheikh Pierre Gemayel) in 1974. He was an active member of both the paramilitary and the students’ organization of the party. At Dekwaneh, he participated in his first fight against the Palestinian organizations.

Lebanese Forces Resistance fighter & commander

When war started, he was part of the elite troop, the “BG” (or “Bejin”), inside of the Kataeb regular forces. When the Kataeb Regulatory Forces (KRF), the Tigers Militia (“Noumour”) from the National Liberal Party, the “Guardians of the Cedars” from the National Lebanese Movement and the “Al-Tanzim” (“the Organization”) from the Lebanese Resistance Movement united in the “Lebanese Forces” (LF), he became the head of the operations (called “Third Bureau”) of the LF. He was seriously injured in 1975, 1976, 1983 and 1986. For the latter, he survived to an assassination attempt and was severely wounded.

In 1982, Bachir Gemayel, commander in chief of the LF was elected as Lebanese Republic president. So, Fadi Frem became commander in chief and Dr Fouad Abou Nader, chief of staff of the LF. In 1984, he was elected as commander in chief of the LF. He was involved in almost all the battles with the Resistance against the Palestinian organizations & the Syrian army. He became famous for his tenacious nerves, physical courage, exceptional organization and planning skills. For his fellow fighters he was a living legend: no battle was won without him. He was the initiator & creator of most of the LF elite troops.

After his election to the presidency, Bachir Gemayel said: “If I had to deliver a Resistance medal of honour, I would have certainly given it to the greatest fighter of our Resistance, Fouad Abou Nader.”

The reject of the fratricide struggles for power

From 1985, an era of “intifada” (revolts) shook the “free regions” and diverted the Cause of its strategic objectives in turning into a struggle for power. Dr Fouad Abou Nader refused the bloody logic: he did not put down the intifada led by Elie Hobeika & Dr Samir Geagea against him: “When I offer my condolences to the family of a martyr as head of the LF I feel bad even if their son was sacrificed for the noblest of causes. What do you want me to say tomorrow to all these mothers? How to explain the martyrdom of their children? Just to remain in my position as head of the LF?” In 1986, he refused the tripartite agreement signed in Damascus by Elie Hobeika and became responsible for the Kataeb regional. Then, in 1989, he refused the Taef agreement signed by Dr Georges Saade, the head of the Kataeb Social Democratic Party and approved by Dr Samir Geagea. He supported Michel Aoun’s liberation war against the Syrian army but rejected the fratricide war between the Lebanese Army soldiers loyal to General Aoun and Geagea’s militia. He participated to the mass demonstrations in Baabda (where is located the presidential palace) against Taef agreement and Syrian army invasion. The internal struggles inside of the LF and the fratricide war between Aoun soldiers and Geagea militiamen were fatal: it was real self-destruction.

From the pacific Resistance to the Cedar Revolution

During Syrian occupation, he helped the student Resistance, participated to their main demonstrations and was part of the “Kataeb Opposition” led by Dr Elie Karame, former head of the Kataeb Social Democratic Party, against the pro-Syrian direction of the party led by Dr Georges Saade then Mounir Hajj and Karim Pakradouni. After Rafic Hariri assassination, he participated to the mass demonstrations in Beirut downtown for the departure of the Syrian army.

After Syrian withdrawal, he restarted his public activities in launching, with his former companions, the “Lebanese Forces veterans” group. He decided to return to the Kataeb Social Democratic Party in the hope of initiating the necessary changes to avoid the repetition of the mistakes of the past. These necessary changes were: making the party more democratic to avoid fratricidal struggles for power and redefining the Cause. Quickly, he clashed with the direction of the party who refused any change about the feudal, hereditary and therefore anti-democratic structures.

General coordinator of the Liberty Front

Consequently, he decided with his companions who come from the Kataeb Social Democratic Party but also from other parties and movements to launch the “Liberty Front” on April 2007. The Liberty Front is a Lebanese political movement, social-democratic & independent, heir of the “Front for Freedom & Man” founded in 1976 by Dr. Charles Malik and the political offspring of the Resistance of the Front’s parties & movements fighters who cooperated together in the “Lebanese Forces Command Council”. Starting 1976 before uniting their guns in 1980 in the “Lebanese Forces” under the leadership of President Bachir Gemayel and fought against the Palestinian organizations & the Syrian army between 1975 and 1986.

“The unity of Lebanon from the unity of the Christians”

The Liberty Front calls for the Christian unity. It rejects the division of the Christians who are become followers of Muslims (“Sunni Christians” and “Shiite Christians”) and a pawn of foreign powers (Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, Iran, Syria, etc.) and thinks the Christians should play a rapprochement role (a bridge) among the Muslims instead of quarreling at the expense of the Sunni and Shiite row. As slogan, the Front uses the quote of Dr Charles Malik: “the unity of Lebanon from the unity of the Christians”. In October 2007, he was elected as general coordinator of the movement for one year. In August 2008, he announced his candidature for one of the four maronite seats in North-Metn (Mount-Lebanon) for the next elections (spring 2009). In October 2008, he was re-elected as general coordinator of the Liberty Front.

The Liberty Front principles and project

The Front believes in the principles of democracy and alternation underlying the movement. It also believes in the dialog that should not lead to a new compromise to cope with the paralysis (following the departure of the Syrians) of the political formula of Taef agreement, but to a peaceful and definitive solution organizing consensual democracy respecting the cultural plurality of the Lebanese people and basing on Universal Declaration of Human Rights. And, it believes in a real reconciliation through a National Congress for forgiveness, reconciliation and unity to put a definitive end to the war, avoid the repetition of the same mistakes & tragedies and allow the return of displaced and exiled people.

The main points of the Liberty Front project for the establishment of a strong State of law and competences are: -uninominal law and two rounds for the legislative elections with the vote of the Lebanese abroad; -regionalism as State’s organization; -positive neutrality of Lebanon with an international guarantee; -participation of the civil society in the democratic process and at the local level and then, the development of an engaged citizenship; -social contract assuring dignity, role for women and the youth, productive society based on agriculture and industry and developing historical, cultural and religious tourism and banking system based on secret but no more on the debt of the State but on investment banking under supervision to avoid uncontrolled crisis; -secularization of the State step by step; -rejecting the Palestinian implantation and disarming the Palestinians inside and outside of their camps; -restructuration of the armed forces under a law on internal security and national defence to be able to fight terrorism, protect all citizens, avoid self defence and defend the entire territory; -and, replacement of the Treaty of Brotherhood with Syria who is hegemonic and uneven for Lebanon by specific and balanced relations between the two sovereign states with a diplomatic representation exchange, the liberation of the Lebanese detainees in Syrian jails and the demarcation of the borders.

The hard mission of a peaceful leader: sending a real state to the youth of all sects

Dr. Fouad Abou Nader thinks that friendly relations with both Syria and Israel will maybe not start in the near future “but definitely in the end we have to find a resolution. Why can’t we achieve peace between our countries? Our peace has to be fair between the Israelis and us and between Syria and us as well.”

He is “100% for keeping this coexistence between Christians and Muslims in Lebanon, but the political formula of how to implement it must be changed. We would like to find a final solution for the problems of the country. Otherwise we are going to stay in this situation. We cannot go on like this for all of our lives. We have to try a stable solution for the sake of our kids. We don't want our kids to continue the war we have fought. We want to find a final solution. Rule number one is that we have to stop lying to each other. Number two, we have to start thinking Lebanese only. And, rule number three, we need to sit together and find a solution - without a hidden agenda from either side. Everyone in Lebanon, Christians, Sunnis, Shiites, Druze, Alawi, Jews, etc. can live free with dignity and enjoy security, equality and freedom.”

About the Memorandum of Understanding between Aoun’s Free Patriotic Movement & Hezbollah, his position is: “It's a positive step although I don't agree with the objectives of Hezbollah and its foreign agenda.” As “defence strategy” option, he is for the creation of a “national guard”, an armed force organised regionally, in the framework of the regionalism he is calling for, alongside the Lebanese army and Interior Security Forces (I.S.F.) and integrating Hezbollah Resistance weapons and fighters but also other and new volunteers from all the regions and from all the sects.

Other activities

He is chairman of Tanit Paramedic & Tanit Medical Engineering. Tanit was established in 1987. It is a trading and distributing company specialized in the medical field. It has developed an extensive network of connections in many parts of the world such as Nigeria. Tanit represents several international manufacturers of medical equipment and supplies and specialized consultant companies in the medical field.

External links

• Liberty Front Official Website
• Lebanese Forces Resistance Official Website
• Kataeb Social Democratic Party Official Website
• Tanit Paramedic & Tanit Medical Engineering Official Website
• Fouad Abou Nader autobiography first part (audio/video)
• Fouad Abou Nader autobiography second part (audio/video)
• Fouad Abou Nader autobiography third part (audio/video)
• Fouad Abou Nader autobiography fourth part (audio/video)
• Fouad Abou Nader autobiography fifth part (audio/video)
• Fouad Abou Nader autobiography sixth part (audio/video)
• Fouad Abou Nader autobiography seventh part (audio/video)