Yahya Sakher Habash (, 10 November 1939 – 1 November 2009), also known as Abu Nizar, was one of the

Fatah Fatah ( ; ), formally the Palestinian National Liberation Movement (), is a Palestinian nationalist and Arab socialist political party. It is the largest faction of the confederated multi-party Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and ...

founding leaders.

Early years and education

Habash was born in Bayt Dajan, near

Jaffa Jaffa (, ; , ), also called Japho, Joppa or Joppe in English, is an ancient Levantine Sea, Levantine port city which is part of Tel Aviv, Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel, located in its southern part. The city sits atop a naturally elevated outcrop on ...

, on 10 November 1939. He became a refugee in the

1948 Arab-Israeli War Events January * January 1 ** The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) is inaugurated. ** The current Constitutions of Constitution of Italy, Italy and of Constitution of New Jersey, New Jersey (both later subject to amendment) ...

, ending up first in

Ramallah Ramallah ( , ; ) is a Palestinians, Palestinian city in the central West Bank, that serves as the administrative capital of the State of Palestine. It is situated on the Judaean Mountains, north of Jerusalem, at an average elevation of abov ...

, then in the Balata refugee camp near

Nablus Nablus ( ; , ) is a State of Palestine, Palestinian city in the West Bank, located approximately north of Jerusalem, with a population of 156,906. Located between Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim, it is the capital of the Nablus Governorate and a ...

. He joined the Baathists in 1952. He studied geology and water resources at

Ain Shams University Ain Shams University () is a public university located in Cairo, Egypt. Founded in 1950, the university provides education at the undergraduate, graduate and post-graduate levels. History Ain Shams University was founded in July 1950, the third ...

Cairo Cairo ( ; , ) is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Egypt and the Cairo Governorate, being home to more than 10 million people. It is also part of the List of urban agglomerations in Africa, largest urban agglomeration in Africa, L ...

beginning in 1958 and later in the

University of Arizona The University of Arizona (Arizona, U of A, UArizona, or UA) is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Tucson, Arizona, United States. Founded in 1885 by the 13th Arizona Territorial Legislature, it ...

Political career

He became a Palestinian nationalist in the early 1960s and joined Fatah in 1962, being responsible for recruitment. He was appointed Fatah regional command in

Lebanon Lebanon, officially the Republic of Lebanon, is a country in the Levant region of West Asia. Situated at the crossroads of the Mediterranean Basin and the Arabian Peninsula, it is bordered by Syria to the north and east, Israel to the south ...

in October 1972. He went to exile with Arafat during the 1970s. Habash served as the ambassador of Palestine in the Soviet Union between 1984 and 1985. He was a member of the

Fatah Central Committee The Fatah Central Committee is the highest decision-making body of the Palestinian people, Palestinian organization and political party, Fatah. History The first Fatah Central Committee was formed in February 1963, consisting of ten members, in ...

from August 1989 to August 2009. He was also a writer, a poet and an artist. Habash served as the movement's general deputy of intellectual affairs.

Death

He died of a stroke in the West Bank on 1 November 2009 and was survived by his wife and four children (three sons and a daughter).

Honors

Habash was posthumously awarded on 5 October 2013 with the Star of Jerusalem Medal, the highest medal bestowed by the Palestinian authority.

References

External links

Sakher Habash's website

Fatah's Intellectual office website

{{DEFAULTSORT:Habash, Sakher 1939 births 2009 deaths Central Committee of Fatah members 20th-century Palestinian poets Palestinian Muslims Ain Shams University alumni Palestinian refugees University of Arizona alumni Palestinian expatriates in Egypt Palestinian expatriates in the United States