Gabriel Banon, former Moroccan advisor to Yasser Arafat, dies at 96

International consultant and economist, Gabriel Banon, passed away at the age of 96 in his hometown of Casablanca on the night of February 25-26. He was a French-Moroccan businessman, writer, and columnist, deeply involved in various global political spheres.

Banon's career was marked by high-profile advisory roles. He served as advisor to French President Georges Pompidou (1969) on industrial policy, Palestinian President Yasser Arafat on economic affairs, and former American President Gerald Ford. He also held a position on the Economic Security Council of the Russian Federation under the Kremlin.

Born in Casablanca in 1928, Banon followed in the footsteps of his father, Jacob Banon, a renowned jurist who served as advisor to King Mohammed V and King Hassan II, and president of Casablanca's Jewish community. After completing his secondary education at Lycée Lyautey, Banon went on to study law in Lyon, France, and civil engineering at the Oslo Polytechnic School in Norway.

Upon returning to Morocco, he contributed to establishing the Trade Union Chamber of Engineers and the School of Union Officials for the Moroccan Labor Union (UMT). He also served under then-Minister of Industry, Thami Ouazzani.

Following the Oslo Accords, Banon became a key figure in Palestinian economic development, serving as Arafat's chief economic advisor and establishing a non-profit consulting firm. He played a vital role in developing the Palestinian telecommunications network, Gaza's port, and the «Palestinian Economic Letter» magazine in collaboration with the Wafa news agency.

From the late 2000s onward, Banon served as advisor to various African governments. Alongside his career, he authored numerous works and essays on international geopolitics spanning the period from the 1950s to 2020. He also wrote a column for Luxe Radio in 2012 and most recently published a novel titled «The Legend of New Heaven» in early 2024.