Robert Hatem

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Robert Hatem (Arabic: روبير حاتم, born c. 1956[1]), known by his code name Cobra,[2] (named after his personal pistol),[3] is a Lebanese former bodyguard[4][3] and head of security of the Lebanese Forces leader Elie Hobeika,[5] and who later moved to France as a political refugee[6] where he published his book From Israel to Damascus generating a scandal.[7][6] His book caused so much controversy within the Lebanese political realm to the point it was banned from being published and distributed in Lebanon.[5] The book focuses on Hobeika’s role as a militia leader during the civil war, including corruption and his role in the Sabra and Shatila operation.[2]

Biography[edit]

From an early age, Hatem was involved in military trainings in the Lebanese Front and the Kataeb party.[3]

in 1972, he moved to Israel to receive training and later became the personal assistant of Elie Hobeika (HK) for 20 years.[3]

Cobra moved to France as an asylee,[6] where he wrote his book From Israel to Damascus, which some believe that he released to protect himself from the risk of political assassination because he knew so much sensitive information about HK,[3] who was later assassinated.[8] In 1999 a Lebanese daily, Al Bayrak, published an interview with Hatem which led to the prosecution of the paper's directors, Melhem Karam and Said Nasreddine.[9]

He is believed to be in Paris.[10][5]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "From Israel to Damascus - Chapter 1: 1975 the beginning of the war". www.thewatchersnetwork.com. Retrieved 2021-09-19.
  2. ^ a b "Prosecutors drop charges over 'Cobra' book". www.dailystar.com.lb. Archived from the original on 2021-09-20. Retrieved 2021-09-19.
  3. ^ a b c d e "روبير حاتم". www.aljazeera.net (in Arabic). Retrieved 2021-09-19.
  4. ^ "World: Notebook: The 'Cobra' strikes at the heart of his master;". The Independent. 2015-09-20. Retrieved 2021-09-19.
  5. ^ a b c خارج النص – كتاب كوبرا في ظل حبيقة, retrieved 2021-09-19
  6. ^ a b c Hatem, Robert M. (1999-05-27). From Israel to Damascus : The Painful Road of Blood, Betrayal and Deception. Pride International Pub. ISBN 0964430436.
  7. ^ "كوبرا حزين على حبيقة.. احتجاز شخصين على ذمة التحقيق وحديث عن شهادة مسجلة قبل تصفيته". البوابة (in Arabic). Retrieved 2021-09-19.
  8. ^ "Led Christian Lebanese militia which massacred 2,000 refugees". The Irish Times. Retrieved 2021-09-19.
  9. ^ "Journalists prosecuted over controversial interview". IFEX. 30 July 1999. Archived from the original on 27 September 2013. Retrieved 15 September 2013.
  10. ^ "World: Notebook: The 'Cobra' strikes at the heart of his master;". The Independent. 2015-09-20. Retrieved 2021-09-19.


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