Ahmad Shukeiri facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ahmad al-Shukeiri
أحمد الشقيري |
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| 1st Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization | |
| In office May 1964 – December 1967 |
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| Succeeded by | Yahya Hammuda |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1 January 1908 Tebnine, Ottoman Empire |
| Died | 26 February 1980 (aged 72) Amman, Jordan |
| Nationality | Palestinian |
Ahmad al-Shukeiri (born January 1, 1908 – died February 26, 1980) was an important Palestinian leader. He is best known as the first Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). He led the PLO from 1964 to 1967.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Ahmad al-Shukeiri was born in Tebnine, a town in southern Lebanon. At that time, this area was part of the Ottoman Empire, a very large empire that existed many years ago. His mother was Turkish, and his father, As'ad Shukeiri, was Palestinian. His father was also a politician and was elected to the Ottoman Parliament.
Ahmad learned the Turkish language from his mother. He later studied law at a British college in Jerusalem. After finishing his studies, he became a well-known lawyer in British-controlled Palestine. He also joined a political group called the Independence Party. In 1945, he traveled to Washington, D.C. in the United States to open an office for Palestinians. The next year, in 1946, he joined the Arab Higher Committee, another important Palestinian group.
A Diplomat for Palestine
Ahmad al-Shukeiri had a long career in diplomacy. From 1949 to 1951, he was part of Syria's team at the United Nations. The United Nations is an international organization that works for peace and cooperation between countries.
He then became an assistant to the Secretary General of the Arab League from 1950 to 1956. The Arab League is a group of Arab countries that work together on common issues. Later, from 1957 to 1962, he served as Saudi Arabia's ambassador to the United Nations. An ambassador is a country's official representative in another country or international organization.
In 1964, during a meeting of the Arab League in Cairo, leaders decided to create a Palestinian organization. They chose Ahmad al-Shukeiri to start this new group.
Leading the PLO
In May 1964, Ahmad al-Shukeiri was chosen as the first Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). The PLO was created to represent the Palestinian people and work for their rights.
From May 28 to June 2, 1964, Shukeiri and 396 representatives from many Arab areas attended a big Palestinian conference. This meeting, called the First Palestinian National Council, took place in East Jerusalem. The delegates wore special badges with a map of Palestine and the words "We shall return."
At the conference, King Hussein of Jordan spoke first. Then, Shukeiri told the delegates that Palestinians had faced many difficulties for 16 years. He said it was time for them to rely on themselves to achieve their goals. The conference officially announced the creation of the PLO.
Shukeiri and his colleagues also started the Palestinian National Fund, which helps support Palestinian efforts. In September 1964, at another Arab Summit Conference in Alexandria, they also announced the formation of a military branch called the Palestine Liberation Army.
Shukeiri resigned from his role as Chairman in December 1967. This happened after the Six-Day War in June of that year. Some people blamed him for the outcome of the war. Yahya Hammuda took over as the Chairman of the PLO after him.
Later Life and Legacy
After leaving his leadership role, Ahmad al-Shukeiri continued to work for the Palestinian cause. Between 1968 and 1979, he wrote more than twenty books. These books focused on the Palestinian struggle and the idea of Arab unity.
He passed away on February 26, 1980, in Amman, Jordan, at the age of 72.
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Ahmad al-Shukeiri
See Also
In Spanish: Ahmed Shukeiri para niños
