Jean Obeid

Jean Obeid (; 8 May 19398 February 2021) was a Lebanese lawyer, journalist and politician, who served in different cabinet posts, the last of which was foreign minister of Lebanon from 2003 to 2004.

Early life and education Obeid hailed from a Maronite family.

Obeid obtained a degree in law from the Saint Joseph University in Beirut. He held several high-level positions in various newspapers and magazines. He worked for Lisan Al Hal in 1960 and for the Assayad magazine and Al Anwar daily from 1966. On 11 February 1987, Obeid met with Parliament Speaker Hussein Husseini and was kidnapped by nine gunmen in west Beirut. Obeid was freed unhurt after four days.

Obeid served as a member of the parliament, representing Chouf from 1991 to 1992 and Tripoli from 1992 to 2005. He served as minister of state in the cabinet led by Prime Minister Rafik Hariri between 1993 and 1995. Then he was the minister of national education, youth and sports from 1996 to 1998. He was appointed to the same post in 2000. Obeid's tenure ended in 2004, and he was succeeded by Mahmoud Hammoud as foreign minister.

In May 2018, Obeid returned to the Lebanese parliament by winning the Maronite seat for the constituency of Tripoli.

Personal life and death Obeid was married to Emile Boustany's daughter, Loubna, and had five children. He was also the maternal uncle of the economist Jihad Azour.

On the morning of 8 February 2021, the National News Agency (NNA) announced that Obeid had died due to complications from COVID-19 during the COVID-19 pandemic in Lebanon.