Samir Ghawshah
Encyclopedia
Samir Ghawshah also spelled Samir Ghosha , was a Palestinian
politician and militia leader. He was the head of the Secretary-General of the Palestinian Popular Struggle Front
(PPSF) and member of the Palestine Liberation Organization Executive Committee. Ghawsha also served in the Palestinian National Authority
as Minister of Labor and later on Minister of Jerusalem.
in Syria
. He joined the pan-Arabism
movement when he was young. After the Palestinian exodus, he co-founded the PPSF and was elected its secretary-general in 1971. Frequently in opposition to Yasser Arafat
's policies (being a part of the Rejectionist Front
), it also received backing from a number of Arab
governments, especially Syria
and Libya
.
In 1991, Ghousha was elected a member of the PLO's Executive Committee, where he represented the party. The PPSF broke apart when talks
between Israel
and Palestinians began in Madrid
in 1991, with Ghawshah heading the more moderate faction and returning to the favor of Arafat. Ghawshah's PPSF accepted the Oslo Agreement and he served as Minister of Labor in the resulting Palestinian National Authority
(PNA) from 1994, but resigned in 1998 in protest of "corruption and the lack of a joint Palestinian strategy." He published his resignation in a letter, complaining of irregularities in the PNA's system of governance, and of apparent examples of corruption
He continued to serve as Minister without Portfolio, but from 1999 had no ministerial post. He was present at the Camp David negotiations
of 2000 as an adviser to Arafat, and briefly returned as Minister for Jerusalem, formally known as the Orient House
Director, in the PNA between late October 2002 and April 2003.
hospital on August 3, 2009 at age 72 due to complications from cancer. His will was to be buried in Jerusalem but Israel
refused it. Instead he was buried in Martyr's Square in al-Bireh
. The funeral procession began at the Governmental Hospital in Ramallah
, and his body was transported on an official military vehicle with Palestinian Presidential Guards securing the convoy. The mourners, who included Yasser Abed Rabbo and Mahmoud Abbas
' representative Ahmad Abdel Rahman, traveled passed the Ghawshah's family home then to the Mukataa
in Ramallah for an official ceremony.
Palestinian people
The Palestinian people, also referred to as Palestinians or Palestinian Arabs , are an Arabic-speaking people with origins in Palestine. Despite various wars and exoduses, roughly one third of the world's Palestinian population continues to reside in the area encompassing the West Bank, the Gaza...
politician and militia leader. He was the head of the Secretary-General of the Palestinian Popular Struggle Front
Palestinian Popular Struggle Front
The Palestinian Popular Struggle Front , , is a militant Palestinian organization. The group was led by Dr. Samir Ghawshah until his death in 2009...
(PPSF) and member of the Palestine Liberation Organization Executive Committee. Ghawsha also served in the Palestinian National Authority
Palestinian National Authority
The Palestinian Authority is the administrative organization established to govern parts of the West Bank and Gaza Strip...
as Minister of Labor and later on Minister of Jerusalem.
Life
Ghawshah was born in Jerusalem in 1937 and received his elementary and secondary education there. He obtained a BA in dentistry from the University of DamascusUniversity of Damascus
The University of Damascus is the largest and oldest university in Syria, located in the capital Damascus and has campuses in other Syrian cities. It was founded in 1923 through the merger of the School of Medicine and the Institute of Law , also making it the oldest university in modern-day Syria...
in Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
. He joined the pan-Arabism
Pan-Arabism
Pan-Arabism is an ideology espousing the unification--or, sometimes, close cooperation and solidarity against perceived enemies of the Arabs--of the countries of the Arab world, from the Atlantic Ocean to the Arabian Sea. It is closely connected to Arab nationalism, which asserts that the Arabs...
movement when he was young. After the Palestinian exodus, he co-founded the PPSF and was elected its secretary-general in 1971. Frequently in opposition to Yasser Arafat
Yasser Arafat
Mohammed Yasser Abdel Rahman Abdel Raouf Arafat al-Qudwa al-Husseini , popularly known as Yasser Arafat or by his kunya Abu Ammar , was a Palestinian leader and a Laureate of the Nobel Prize. He was Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization , President of the Palestinian National Authority...
's policies (being a part of the Rejectionist Front
Rejectionist Front
The Rejectionist Front or Front of the Palestinian Forces Rejecting Solutions of Surrender was a political coalition formed in 1974 by radical Palestinian factions who rejected the Ten Point Program adopted by the Palestine Liberation Organization in its 12th Palestinian National Congress ...
), it also received backing from a number of Arab
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
governments, especially Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
and Libya
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
.
In 1991, Ghousha was elected a member of the PLO's Executive Committee, where he represented the party. The PPSF broke apart when talks
Madrid Conference of 1991
The Madrid Conference was hosted by the government of Spain and co-sponsored by the USA and the USSR. It convened on October 30, 1991 and lasted for three days. It was an early attempt by the international community to start a peace process through negotiations involving Israel and the Palestinians...
between Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
and Palestinians began in Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
in 1991, with Ghawshah heading the more moderate faction and returning to the favor of Arafat. Ghawshah's PPSF accepted the Oslo Agreement and he served as Minister of Labor in the resulting Palestinian National Authority
Palestinian National Authority
The Palestinian Authority is the administrative organization established to govern parts of the West Bank and Gaza Strip...
(PNA) from 1994, but resigned in 1998 in protest of "corruption and the lack of a joint Palestinian strategy." He published his resignation in a letter, complaining of irregularities in the PNA's system of governance, and of apparent examples of corruption
Political corruption
Political corruption is the use of legislated powers by government officials for illegitimate private gain. Misuse of government power for other purposes, such as repression of political opponents and general police brutality, is not considered political corruption. Neither are illegal acts by...
He continued to serve as Minister without Portfolio, but from 1999 had no ministerial post. He was present at the Camp David negotiations
Camp David 2000 Summit
The Middle East Peace Summit at Camp David of July 2000 took place between United States President Bill Clinton, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak, and Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat...
of 2000 as an adviser to Arafat, and briefly returned as Minister for Jerusalem, formally known as the Orient House
Orient House
Orient House is a building located in East Jerusalem that served as the headquarters of the Palestine Liberation Organization in the 1980s and 1990s. Built in 1897 by Ismail Musa al-Husseini, it has been owned by the Al-Husayni family since...
Director, in the PNA between late October 2002 and April 2003.
Death
Ghawsha died in a AmmanAmman
Amman is the capital of Jordan. It is the country's political, cultural and commercial centre and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. The Greater Amman area has a population of 2,842,629 as of 2010. The population of Amman is expected to jump from 2.8 million to almost...
hospital on August 3, 2009 at age 72 due to complications from cancer. His will was to be buried in Jerusalem but Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
refused it. Instead he was buried in Martyr's Square in al-Bireh
Al-Bireh
al-Bireh or el-Bira is a Palestinian city adjacent to Ramallah in the central West Bank, north of Jerusalem. It is situated on the central ridge running through the West Bank and is above sea level, covering an area of...
. The funeral procession began at the Governmental Hospital in Ramallah
Ramallah
Ramallah is a Palestinian city in the central West Bank located 10 kilometers north of Jerusalem, adjacent to al-Bireh. It currently serves as the de facto administrative capital of the Palestinian National Authority...
, and his body was transported on an official military vehicle with Palestinian Presidential Guards securing the convoy. The mourners, who included Yasser Abed Rabbo and Mahmoud Abbas
Mahmoud Abbas
Mahmoud Abbas , also known by the kunya Abu Mazen , has been the Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organisation since 11 November 2004 and became President of the Palestinian National Authority on 15 January 2005 on the Fatah ticket.Elected to serve until 9 January 2009, he unilaterally...
' representative Ahmad Abdel Rahman, traveled passed the Ghawshah's family home then to the Mukataa
Mukataa
Mukataa is the name used to refer to the offices and administrative centers of the Palestinian National Authority.Mukataas were mostly built during the British Mandate as Tegart forts and were used both as British government centers and as dwellings for the British administrative staff. Some...
in Ramallah for an official ceremony.
External links
- PPSF Homepage Biography of Samir Ghawshah.