Nabeel Kassis (Arabic: نبيل قسيس), also transliterated as Nabil Kassis, Nabil Qasis, Nabeel Qassis, etc., is a Palestinian academic and politician from Ramallah. He was born 1945.

Nabeel Kassis
نبيل قسيس
Minister of Finance
In office
2012–2013
PresidentMahmoud Abbas
Prime MinisterSalam Fayyad
Preceded bySalam Fayyad
Succeeded byShoukry Bishara
Minister of Planning
In office
2003–2005
PresidentYasser Arafat
Prime MinisterAhmed Qurei
Succeeded byGhassan Khatib
Minister of Tourism and Antiquities
In office
2002–2003
PresidentYasser Arafat
Prime MinisterMahmoud Abbas
Preceded byAbdul Razzak Yehiyeh
Succeeded byMitri Abu Aita
Minister of State
In office
1998–2002
PresidentYasser Arafat
Prime MinisterVarious
Preceded byHasan Abu-Libdeh
Succeeded byPosition abolished
Personal details
Born1945
Ramallah, Palestine
Alma materUniversity of Mainz, American University of Beirut
OccupationAcademic, politician

Academic career

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Kassis studied in Germany and Lebanon, earning a master's degree from the University of Mainz, and a PhD from the American University of Beirut, both in nuclear physics. He taught physics at a number of universities in Germany, Italy, France, England, Lebanon, and Jordan before joining Birzeit University in 1980.[1] He served as President of Birzeit University from 2004 to 2010.[2]

Diplomatic career

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Kassis was a member of the Palestinian delegation to the Madrid Peace Conference in 1991, and a deputy head of the negotiation delegation at the Washington talks in 1992 to 1993. He later became the Director-General of the Technical and Advisory Committee to the Palestinian negotiation team, established to do preparatory work for the transition to Palestinian self-government. He was a member of the Palestinian delegation on final status negotiations in 1999.[1]

Political career

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As a proponent of transparency and reform, Kassis was appointed member of the Special Committee for the Investigation of the Auditor's Report in 1997. He later entered government as a political independent, serving as minister of state in 1998, Tourism Minister in 2002, Planning Minister from 2003 to 2005,[1] and Finance Minister from 2012 to 2013.[3][4]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Nabil Kassis". Jerusalem Media and Communication Centre. January 4, 2010. Retrieved 2014-09-13.
  2. ^ "Past Presidents". Birzeit University. Retrieved 2014-09-13.
  3. ^ "Palestinian Authority premier Salam Fayyad gives up finance post". Los Angeles Times. May 16, 2012. Retrieved 2014-09-13.
  4. ^ "PA's finance minister quits as West Bank economy worsens". The National (Abu Dhabi). March 3, 2013. Retrieved 2014-09-13.