Naseer Aruri facts for kids
Naseer H. Aruri (born January 7, 1934 – died February 10, 2015) was an American professor and activist. He was an expert on politics in the Middle East, especially how the United States interacted with the region. He also focused on human rights. Aruri was a professor of Political Science at the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth from 1965 to 1998. He received an award for his important research in 1993. His writings and papers are kept at the Claire T. Carney Library at UMASS-Dartmouth.
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Early Life and Education
Naseer Aruri was born in Jerusalem, which was then called Mandatory Palestine, in 1934. His father was a high school principal in Jerusalem. His family spent time between Jerusalem and their village home in Burham.
In 1954, Aruri moved to the United States to go to college. He arrived in Springfield, Massachusetts, where his brother was already studying. He earned his first degree in History from the American International College. Later, he received his Ph.D. from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. While in college, he met Joyce Thomas, whose family was from Lebanon. They later married and settled in Dartmouth, Massachusetts. They had four children and thirteen grandchildren.
Working for Human Rights
Naseer Aruri was very active in human rights work. He was elected to the Board of Directors for Amnesty International, USA, for three terms (1984-1990). Amnesty International is a global group that works to protect human rights. He was also on the board of Human Rights Watch/Middle East from 1990 to 1992.
Aruri helped start the Arab Organization for Human Rights (AOHR) in 1982. He also helped write the Arab Covenant of Human Rights in Italy in 1986. This document is like a guide for human rights in Arab countries. He spoke at the United Nations many times. In 1988, he gave a main speech for the 40th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. He also gave expert opinions in US and Canadian courts on cases about political asylum.
Involvement in Politics
Aruri was a former member of the Palestinian National Council. This group was like a parliament for the Palestinian people who were living outside their homeland. He also served on the Central Council of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO).
He helped start the Association of Arab-American University Graduates (AAUG) and was its president twice. He was also a founding member and former leader of the Trans-Arab Research Institute. He served on the board of the Jerusalem Fund and its Palestine Center Committee.
Media and Publications
Naseer Aruri spoke at many universities and conferences around the world. He appeared on many news programs, including PBS NewsHour, CNN, ABC News, and C-SPAN. He was also a commentator on radio stations like NPR, the BBC, and the Voice of America.
He wrote many articles for newspapers and magazines. He also wrote or edited several books. Most of his books were about how the United States dealt with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Some of his well-known books include "Occupation: Israel Over Palestine" and "The Obstruction of Peace: The U.S., Israel and the Palestinians." His book "Dishonest Broker: the U.S. Role in Israel and Palestine" was translated into Arabic, Spanish, and Italian.
Aruri often criticized the "peace process" that aimed to solve the conflict. He believed it was not designed to bring a fair peace. Instead, he thought it served the interests of Israel and the U.S. He was especially critical of the Oslo Peace Accords. He felt these agreements made the Palestinian people give up their internationally recognized rights. He also criticized the PLO and later the Palestine Authority (PA). He believed they helped create a situation that allowed more colonization of Palestinian land.
Personal Life
Naseer Aruri and his wife, Joyce, married in 1961. They had four children and thirteen grandchildren. Aruri passed away on February 10, 2015, at the age of 81. He died from problems related to Parkinson's disease.
