Lebanon mourned the passing away of former Minister and MP Jean Obeid, who died on Monday at the age of 82, due to health complications caused by COVID-19.
Politicians and figures from various political blocs and parties hailed Obeid’s wisdom and mediation role that he assumed since the outbreak of the Lebanese civil war.
President Michel Aoun described Obeid as a man of a wise and generous journey, at the political and national levels. He also praised his role in the political life, as deputy and minister, and the national stances he took during his career.
Speaker Nabih Berri mourned the former minister, saying in a statement: “With great sadness and sorrow, Lebanon and the House of Parliament have lost a national legislative figure who devoted his life working relentlessly to preserve Lebanon, the nation and the message.”
Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri said that with the departure of Obeid, the country has lost “a noble man who enriched political life with his wisdom and culture, sincere patriotism, generous morals and vitality in inventing ideas that protect Lebanon and coexistence.”
Caretaker Prime Minister Hassan Diab, for his part, said: “My friend Jean Obeid passed away peacefully, just as he lived for years, torn up over the situation in Lebanon.”
“Late Jean Obeid was a symbol of moderation and coexistence,” Diab stressed, adding that Lebanon will miss “a great intellectual, who was well-versed in religion, politics, Arabism and history.”
The head of the Progressive Socialist Party, Walid Jumblatt, described Obeid as “the last of the wise men to depart from Lebanon – a country that is mired in savagery, assassinations, and the three obstructing forces of ignorance, hatred and local and regional obscurantism.”
“The patriotic and Arab man with dignity and morals is gone. He considered that a person has no value away from the love of Christ and the justice of the Prophet. Beloved Jean Obeid, a friend of Kamal Jumblatt and Palestine, has passed away,” he added.
