Najib Nassar facts for kids

Najib Nassar (born January 1, 1865 – died December 28, 1947) was an important Palestinian journalist. He is best known as the owner and editor of Al-Karmil, a weekly newspaper in Palestine. A historian named Rashid Khalidi called him a "pioneer" among journalists. This was because of his strong and smart opposition to Zionism.

Early Life and Family

Najib Nassar was born in a mountain village called Ein Einub. This village is in Lebanon, which was part of the Ottoman Empire at the time. His family had moved there in the mid-1800s.

He received his education in Lebanon. His family's religious background was Christian.

When he was a young adult, Nassar worked as a pharmacist. He worked at the Scottish Hospital in Tiberias.

In 1927, he married Sadhij Bahaa. She was also a well-known person who worked for women's rights in Palestine. After they married, they both worked together on the Al-Karmil newspaper.

Najib Nassar passed away on December 28, 1947. He died in the French Hospital in Nazareth after an operation. He was buried in the city's Greek Orthodox cemetery.

Journalism and Politics

In 1908, Najib Nassar started the newspaper Al-Karmil. This was the first Palestinian weekly newspaper in Arabic that spoke out against Zionism. It was first printed in Haifa in December 1908.

Nassar also helped create a group in Haifa. This group aimed to stop Zionist plans and colonial activities in Palestine. He often warned people not to sell land to Jews and Zionists.

In 1911, he wrote the first book in Arabic about Zionism. It was called al-Sihyuniyya: Tarikhuha, gharaduha, ahamiyyatuha. This means Zionism: Its History, Objective and Importance. The book included parts of an article about Zionism from The Jewish Encyclopedia. Nassar also added his own important comments.

Speaking Out Against Ottoman Rule

Najib Nassar was part of the political opposition during the last years of the Ottoman Empire. He was even put in prison in Damascus by Ottoman leaders in 1918. In the same year, he started the Arab Party in Nazareth.

He always felt loyal to the Ottoman Empire throughout his life. However, he also called himself a Palestinian patriot. Nassar wrote many novels and plays. He also wrote many articles that criticized Zionism. He was very open about his disagreement with the Ottoman government's policies.

In 1924, he traveled to Karak, Jordan, with a Jordanian poet named Mustafa Wahbi At-Tal. They both called for Arab unity. This meant they wanted Arab countries to work together.

Historian Rashid Khalidi sees Nassar as one of the important thinkers and writers. These people helped create the first ideas of Palestinian identity. This happened at the end of the 1800s and early 1900s. Khalidi said these people felt connected to many things at once. They felt loyal to the Ottoman Empire, their religion, their Arab heritage, their homeland Palestine, their city, and their family. They did not feel that these loyalties conflicted with each other.

Legacy

Najib Nassar's life inspired a book written in 2010. It was called A Rift in Time: Travels with My Ottoman Uncle by Raja Shehadeh. He was also featured in a novel by the respected Palestinian writer Ibrahim Nasrallah. This novel, Time of White Horses, was published in 2009.

In 2019, the Palestinian National Theatre put on a play about his life. The play was called “Saheb Al-Karmil” which means “Owner of Al-Karmil.” It was written by Amer Hlehel.

See also

• Palestine theater pays homage to country's pioneer journalist