Since his name began trending as a likely candidate for the position of the Lebanese Prime Minister, Samir Khatib has been the subject of many rumors spreading on social media platforms. Because the man is a contender to become the Prime Minister of the country, it is important to know what’s true about him from what’s not.
Claim:
Samir Khatib’s original nationality was not Lebanese, but Palestinian, and he was later naturalized to become a Lebanese citizen.
Verdict:
The rumor turned out to be just that; a rumor. Samir Khatib was born in Lebanon and has been a Lebanese citizen since birth.
Context:
After Samir Khatib’s nationality controversy stole the spotlight and became a hot topic in Lebanon, the MTV news station was able to get hold of a copy of his old Lebanese I.D., which was revealed to the public today, December 7th.
The I.D. clearly shows that the Executive Vice-President of Khatib & Alami was born in a town located in Mount Lebanon, Al-Shouf, on the 25th of March, 1945.
The questioning of Khatib’s nationality is not the only rumor that recently surfaced about him; this week, a local newspaper reported that he suffered a health problem induced by the immense pressure that came with the conflicting news regarding his candidacy.
As a result, Samir Khatib’s office issued a statement denying the news and assuring that his health is good. The statement said: “In some media, news related to [Khatib’s] health has been reported following a series of rumors previously reported in the same regard, including insulting and misinformation, which is far from the truth.”
مكتب #سمير_الخطيب: صحته جيدة جداًhttps://t.co/PvKI2wWbOi#لبنان #ملحق pic.twitter.com/De2sXahlZ4
— Mulhak (@Mulhak) December 6, 2019
Khatib’s office ended its statement with the assurance that “his health is very good.” In addition to the aforementioned two rumors, several others have been circulating the Lebanese media and spreading false information about Samir Khatib and his company, Khatib & Alami.
The rumors are believed to be part of a propaganda campaign aimed against Khatib and his candidacy for Prime Minister of Lebanon. Whether or not he will head the next government will be revealed in the upcoming parliamentary consultations, next Monday, December 9th.
Lebanese protesters have expressed distrust towards Samir Khatib and have even performed demonstrations in front of his house to deliver him the message personally.
