DEARBORN — Veteran journalist and diplomat Hassan Hamie died on Sunday, June 26 after a long struggle with illness. He was 81. 

Hamie was born in the Lebanese village of Taraya. He had a degree in political science and history from Brussles University in Belgium. He started his journalistic career as a reporter for Al-Nabaa newspaper in Lebanon. He then established and worked at several Arabic and French publications.  

Hassan Hamie.

In 1962, he helped found Al-Rai Al-Am (Public Opinion) newspaper in Kuwait before becoming the managing editor of Al-Dunya magazine there. 

After unsuccessfully running for the Lebanese parliament in 1964, Hamie became the publisher of “Ideas” a French newspaper in Belgium. He also worked at “Al-Kifah”, “Al-Shark” “Al-Ahad”, and “Al-Jadded” publications. 

At the start of the civil war in Lebanon in 1975, Hamie kicked off his diplomatic career. He was appointed as a media expert for the Arab League in Cairo. He managed the League’s offices in Rome and Ottawa. He also worked for the League for two years in Tunisia. 

He resigned from the Arab League in 1988 and immigrated to the United States. He settled in Michigan and established “The Journalist”, a newspaper that covered Arab American issues. In 2006, he suffered a sudden illness that took his ability to walk.

The Arab American News publisher Osama Siblani described Hamie as a soft-spoken intellectual and a good man.

“His intellect and kindness will be greatly missed,” Siblani said. “May God bless his soul. My sincere condolences to his family, friends and the entire community.”

He is survived by his wife and five daughters.