(1921-1987) 8-time Prime Minister of Lebanon

Rashid Karami was born on December 30, 1921, in Tripoli, Lebanon, into a religious Sunni Muslim family. He received his law degree from Cairo University in the 1940's, after which he established a legal practice in Tripoli.

Karami's political career began in 1950, when he took the Parliament seat vacated by the death of his father. He was elected to a term of his own in 1951, but gave up his seat to become Minister of Justice in Hussein al Quwaini's government. In 1953 he was appointed Minister of Economy and Social Affairs in Abdallah al Yafi's government.

First Term, 1955-1956

Karami's first term as Prime Minister began on September 19, 1955, when he took office under President Camille Chamoun. He was forced out of office in 1956, however, when he questioned Chamoun's response to the Suez Crisis -- Karami thought that Lebanon should have severed diplomatic relations with the Western powers that had attacked Egypt, but Chamoun refused to do so.

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