Ali Hassan Khalil Explained

Ali Hassan Khalil
Office1:Minister of Health
Primeminister1:Najib Mikati
Predecessor1:Mohamad Jawad Khalifeh
Successor1:Wael Abou Faour
Term Start1:13 June 2011
Term End1:15 February 2014
Office:Minister of Finance
Primeminister:Tammam Salam
Saad Hariri
Predecessor:Mohammad Safadi
Successor:Ghazi Wazni
Term Start:15 February 2014
Term End:20 January 2020
Office2:Minister of Agriculture
Primeminister2:Rafic Hariri
Predecessor2:Ali Abdallah
Successor2:Elias Skaff
Term Start2:17 April 2003
Term End2:26 October 2004
Birth Date:15 July 1964
Birth Place:Khiam, Lebanon
Party:Amal Movement
Alma Mater:Lebanese University
Spouse:Samia Saleh
Nationality:Lebanese
Children:4

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

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Former Ministers. https://web.archive.org/web/20191218051220/http://www.finance.gov.lb/en-us/About/Minister/Pages/Former-Ministers.aspx. dead. 18 December 2019. 18 December 2019.
  2. Web site: فوز. نادر. فنيانوس وخليل.. من افتتاح أوتوستراد إلى لوائح العقوبات. 2021-07-12. almodon. ar.
  3. News: Psaledakis. Humeyra Pamuk, Daphne. 2020-09-09. U.S. blacklists ex-Lebanese ministers over Hezbollah ties, vows more action. en. Reuters. 2021-07-12.
  4. Web site: Biography of State Minister for Financial Affairs Ali Hassan Khalil. National News. Agency. National News Agency. 9 September 2020. 2 February 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200202182213/http://nna-leb.gov.lb/en/show-news/21483/. dead.
  5. News: 2022 Parliamentary Elections Key Results. 15 August 2024. UNDP. December 2022.
  6. Web site: Ali Hassan Khalil. Beirut. 2 October 2012.
  7. News: Lebanon announces new government after ten-month political deadlock. 16 February 2014. Euronews. 15 February 2014. 23 April 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190423040118/https://www.euronews.com/2014/02/15/lebanon-announces-new-government-after-ten-month-political-deadlock. dead.
  8. Web site: Treasury Targets Hizballah’s Enablers in Lebanon . United States Department of the Treasury . United States Government . September 8, 2020 . August 15, 2024.
  9. News: Lebanon prosecutor orders arrest of next-year politician charged over Beirut blast. 15 August 2024. Reuters. 14 December 2021.
  10. News: Third Anniversary of the Beirut Port Explosion. 15 August 2024. U.S. Department of State. August 4, 2023.
  11. News: Lebanon judge drops arrest warrants for suspects in port blast case. 15 August 2024. Associated Press. 7 January 2023.