Hussein Hajj Hassan (Arabic: حسين الحاج حسن; born 1960) is a Lebanesepolitician from Hezbollah, founder of the Islamic Union of Lebanese Students in France and minister of industry. He was the head of Hezbollah's "Educational mobilization" unit. As agricultural ministry he signed a cooperative agreement Jihad al-Binaa to provide agricultural vocation. He is said to have focused his ministry's funds to Hezbollah constituencies.
Early life and education
Hajj Hassan was born into a Shia family in Nabi Chit in the Beqaa Valley in 1960.[1] He holds a PhD in Chemistry and Natural Physics, which he received from the University of Orléans, France in 1987. [1] He founded the Islamic Union of Lebanese Students in France.[1] He worked as a professor in the science faculty of Lebanese University.[1] He took part in the founding of the Hezbollah think tank: The Consultative Center for Documentation and Studies.[1] He was the head of Hezbollah's "Educational mobilization" unit in 1991.[1]
Political career and views
Hajj Hassan is a member of the Lebanese Shia party Hezbollah.[2] He ran on the latter's electoral list in Lebanon's 1996 general election and was elected MP of the Beqaa's Baalbeck/Hermelconstituency.[1] In May 1998, he argued that although Islamic state is an ideal solution, Hezbollah is aware of its inapplicability in Lebanon.[3] In 2000 he was the head of the Lebanese Agriculture and Tourism committee.[1]
He was reelected in the 2000, 2005 and 2009 polls.[4][5] In 2009, he was among Hezbollah's 11 members of parliament.[6] In June 2009, he met with the then European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana in Beirut, representing Hezbollah.[6] From 2000 to 2005 he led the parliamentary commission on agriculture and tourism. He is part of the "Loyalty to the Resistance", an opposition parliamentary bloc.[7]
He was appointed to Najib Mikati's cabinet again as a minister of agriculture in June 2011.[10] As minister he signed a cooperative agreement with Jihad al-Binaa, in order to provide agricultural vocation. This move was criticized as allowing Hezbollah to take credit through Jihad al-Binaa of government provided projects.[11]
As minister for agriculture, he allegedely funelled funds and government funds "selectively" to Hezbollah constituencies.[11]
In 2018 he was reelected to Lebanese parliament as representative of the Bekaa III (Baalbek/Al-Hermel) constituency.[1]
Life
Hajj has 4 children and is married to Hayat Salhab.[1]
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