Ali Hassan Khalil

Lebanese politician

Ali Hassan Khalil
Ali Hassan Khalil in 2016
Minister of Finance
In office
15 February 2014 – 20 January 2020
Prime MinisterTammam Salam
Saad Hariri
Preceded byMohammad Safadi
Succeeded byGhazi Wazni
Minister of Health
In office
13 June 2011 – 15 February 2014
Prime MinisterNajib Mikati
Preceded byMohamad Jawad Khalifeh
Succeeded byWael Abou Faour
Minister of Agriculture
In office
17 April 2003 – 26 October 2004
Prime MinisterRafic Hariri
Preceded byAli Abdallah
Succeeded byElias Skaff
Personal details
Born (1964-07-15) 15 July 1964 (age 60)
Khiam, Lebanon
Political partyAmal Movement
SpouseSamia Saleh
Children4
Alma materLebanese University

Ali Hassan Khalil (Arabic: علي حسن خليل; born 15 July 1964) is a Lebanese politician, Member of Parliament, and former Minister of Finance.[1]

Khalil is described as the "second most powerful man" in Amal behind Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri.[2] He was sanctioned by the United States Treasury under the Magnitsky Act over "corruption" and "leveraging political power for financial gain".[3]

Career

Khalil, who studied law at the Lebanese University,[4] is a member of parliament representing the Marjeyoun/Hasbaya district. He ran successfully in 1996, 2000, 2005, 2009, 2018 and 2022. He secured victory in the 2022 Lebanese general election for the "South 3" electoral district by garnering 13,155 votes as part of the "Hope and Loyalty" coalition.[5]

Khalil was appointed minister of public health in the cabinet of Najib Mikati on 13 June 2011.[6] Khalil's term ended when he was appointed minister of finance, replacing Mohammad Safadi in the post.[7]

He was appointed minister of finance on three occasions: February 2014 under PM Tammam Salam, December 2016 and January 2020 under PM Saad Hariri.

He was sanctioned by the United States Department of Treasury on September 8, 2020, for allegations of corruption and connections to the terrorist organization Hezbollah.[8]

In 2021, Judge Tarek Bitar issued an arrest warrant against Khalil after he failed to attend a scheduled interrogation[9] over alleged involvement in the 2020 Beirut explosion that claimed over 200 lives.[10]

In 2024, Judge Sabbouh Suleiman of the Court of Cassation revoked the warrants against Khalil due to a constitutional provision that protects members of parliament from arrest unless they are caught in the act of a crime or a vote is held to permit their prosecution.[11]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Former Ministers". 18 December 2019. Archived from the original on 18 December 2019.
  2. ^ فوز, نادر. "فنيانوس وخليل.. من افتتاح أوتوستراد إلى لوائح العقوبات". almodon (in Arabic). Retrieved 12 July 2021.
  3. ^ Psaledakis, Humeyra Pamuk, Daphne (9 September 2020). "U.S. blacklists ex-Lebanese ministers over Hezbollah ties, vows more action". Reuters. Retrieved 12 July 2021.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  4. ^ Agency, National News. "Biography of State Minister for Financial Affairs Ali Hassan Khalil". National News Agency. Archived from the original on 2 February 2020. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
  5. ^ "2022 Parliamentary Elections Key Results" (PDF). UNDP. December 2022. Retrieved 15 August 2024.
  6. ^ "Ali Hassan Khalil". Beirut. Retrieved 2 October 2012.
  7. ^ "Lebanon announces new government after ten-month political deadlock". Euronews. 15 February 2014. Archived from the original on 23 April 2019. Retrieved 16 February 2014.
  8. ^ "Treasury Targets Hizballah's Enablers in Lebanon". United States Department of the Treasury. United States Government. 8 September 2020. Retrieved 15 August 2024.
  9. ^ "Lebanon prosecutor orders arrest of next-year politician charged over Beirut blast". Reuters. 14 December 2021. Retrieved 15 August 2024.
  10. ^ "Third Anniversary of the Beirut Port Explosion". U.S. Department of State. 4 August 2023. Retrieved 15 August 2024.
  11. ^ "Lebanon judge drops arrest warrants for suspects in port blast case". Associated Press. 7 January 2023. Retrieved 15 August 2024.


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