Issam Abu Jamra

Abu Jamra began his career in Lebanese army in 1956.^[3] After serving in different positions in the army and defense ministry, he was appointed deputy prime minister to the interim military government under Michel Aoun on 22 September 1988 and was in office until 13 October 1990.^[5] He also served as minister of telecommunications and minister of economy from 22 April 1988 to 25 November 1989.^[6][7] He replaced Georges Saadeh as telecommunications minister. Jamra was succeeded by Joseph El Hachem in the post. Jamra became major general in 1990.^[5]

He was appointed deputy prime minister to the cabinet headed by Prime Minister Fouad Siniora on 11 July 2008.^[8][9] He was part of the oppositional share in the cabinet.^[10] He was FPM's candidate for Greek Orthodox seat in Beirut's first district in the parliament elections held in June 2009.^[11] However, he lost his seat to Nayla Tueni.^[12]

Jamra is one of the founders of the FPM and was a parliament member from the party.^[13] In 1990, he was exiled to France with Aoun after the latter headed the interim government.^[4] They left Lebanon on 30 August 1990, and went first to Larnaca and then to France.^[14] France granted them and their families asylum.^[15] They both returned to Lebanon on 7 May 2005 after fifteen years in exile.^[16][17]

Although Jamra was a close aide of Aoun,^[18] he left the party in 2010.^[13]

Jamra's spouse died in France while they were in exile there in the 1990s.^[19] He has four sons.^[19] One of them, Fadi Jamra, is a politician.^[20]