Elie Hobeika

Elie Hobeika
إيلي حبيقة
Elie Hobeika
Leader of the Lebanese Forces
In office
1985–1986
Preceded byFouad Abou Nader
Succeeded bySamir Geagea
Personal details
Born
Elias Joseph Hobeika

22 September 1956
Baskinta, Lebanon
Died24 January 2002(2002-01-24) (aged 45)
Beirut, Lebanon
Political partyPromise Party
SpouseGina Raymond Nachaty
ChildrenJoseph Hobeika
Parent(s)Joseph Hobeika, Badr Salman al-Reef
NicknameHK
Military service
Allegiance Lebanese Front
Kataeb Party
Branch/serviceLebanese Forces
RankCommander
Battles/warsLebanese Civil War

Elie Hobeika (also transliterated as Hubayqa; Arabic: إيلي حبيقة; 22 September 1956 – 24 January 2002) was a Lebanese militia commander in the Lebanese Forces militia during the Lebanese Civil War and one of Bachir Gemayel's close confidants. He became infamous for his overseeing of the 1982 Sabra and Shatilla massacre. Hobeika initially supported the IDF during their invasion, but later switched sides and supported the Syrians. He became president of the Lebanese Forces political party until he was ousted in 1986. He then founded the Promise Party and was elected to serve two terms in the Parliament of Lebanon. In January 2002, he was assassinated in a car bombing at his house in Beirut, shortly before he was to testify about the Sabra and Shatila massacre in a Belgian court.