Faisal Husseini facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Faisal Abdel Qader Al-Husseini
|
|
|---|---|
.jpg)
Faisal Al-Husseini
|
|
| Born | 1940 |
| Died | 2001 (Age 60) |
| Parent(s) |
|
Faisal Abdel Qader Al-Husseini (Arabic: فيصل عبدالقادر الحسيني) (born July 17, 1940 – died May 31, 2001) was an important Palestinian politician. Many people thought he might become a future leader for the Palestinian people. He worked hard for peace and to explain the Palestinian point of view to others.
Early Life and Education
Faisal Al-Husseini was born in Baghdad in 1940. His family was very well-known in Palestine. His father, Abd al-Qadir al-Husayni, was a commander of Arab forces during a conflict in 1948. His grandfather, Musa Kazim Pasha Al-Husseini, was once the Mayor of Jerusalem. Faisal also had a relative named Haj Mohammad Amin al-Husayni, who was a religious leader.
Faisal studied in different cities like Cairo, Baghdad, and Damascus. In 1959, he helped start the General Union of Palestinian Students (GUPS).
Political Career
Faisal Al-Husseini began working for the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) when it was created in Jerusalem. He was a deputy manager from 1964 to 1965. Later, he received military training and joined the Palestinian Liberation Army in 1967.
In 1979, Al-Husseini started an organization called the Arab Studies Society. He became its chairman. This group focused on research about Arab issues.
Working for Peace
From 1982 to 1987, Israeli authorities often placed Faisal Al-Husseini under house arrest. This meant he could not leave his home or city. He was also put in prison several times between 1987 and 1989. Despite this, he remained active in the First Intifada, which was a Palestinian uprising.
In 1982, he became a member of the Supreme Muslim Council in Jerusalem. He then served as a spokesperson for the Palestinians. He led the Palestinian delegation to the Madrid Middle East Peace Conference and other talks. This was a big step towards peace discussions in the region.
He also led the Fatah group in the West Bank. Later, he became a minister without a specific department in the Palestinian Authority. His last job was the Palestinian Authority Minister for Jerusalem Affairs. He worked from East Jerusalem in this role.
Al-Husseini was known as a practical and reasonable leader by journalists. He taught himself to speak Hebrew. He often appeared on Israeli radio and TV shows. He used these chances to explain the Palestinian point of view to the Israeli public.
Death
Faisal Al-Husseini died from a heart attack in Kuwait on May 31, 2001. He was in Kuwait trying to fix relations between the Kuwaiti government and the PLO. These relations had been difficult since the 1991 Gulf War.
After his death, Israeli police took control of his headquarters, the Orient House. Faisal Al-Husseini was buried in a family tomb near the Dome of the Rock. Thousands of people attended his funeral.
