Palestinian
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Palestine is a recognized state in the Middle East that occupies the West Bank and Gaza Strip of the Palestinian region. Though the State of Palestine gained its independence in 1988, the history of the region dates back to the Bronze Age. A Muslim dominant state, Palestine has had a tumultuous history that greatly impacted the state’s religion, commerce, culture and politics. Notwithstanding the hard times, the state gave birth to some of the stalwarts in art, music, literature, poetry, academics, film, business and politics who through their committed self, unwavering spirit, relentless hard work and unfaltering determination raised the status of the State of Palestinian in the world map. Today, the State of Palestine boasts of having some of the world renowned names in literature, science, film, music and business. Yasser Elshantaf is a Palestinian entrepreneur who co-founded and today serves as the CEO of PhoenixBird Diversity Management GmbH. Mohsen Subhi gave modern Palestinian music and folklore a new dimension with his musical talent. Emily Jacir created a name for herself as a famous Palestinian artist and filmmaker. Ismail-al-Faruqi was a recognized Palestinian philosopher who executed an authority on Islam and comparative religion. To know more about the life and works of famous Palestinians, read this section.
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1
Jerome(Christian Priest Best Known for His Translation of Most of the Bible into Latin)
Birthdate: 0342 AD
Birthplace: Štrigova, Croatia
Died: September 30, 0420
Latin priest Jerome of Stridon, also known as Saint Jerome, is remembered for translating the Bible into Latin, which came to be known as the Vulgate. Named a Doctor of the Church, he was a secretary to Pope Damascus I and predominantly preached about how women ascetics should behave.
Birthdate: 0030 BC
Birthplace: Bethlehem
Died: 0020 AD
Famous as the patron of the universal church in Roman Catholicism, Saint Joseph was married to Mary and was the guardian or foster father of Jesus. Joseph is revered as Saint Joseph in the Oriental Orthodox Church, Catholic Church, Anglicanism, Lutheranism, and the Orthodox Church. Joseph is regarded as the patron saint of workers, in Catholic traditions.
3
Anwar Jibawi(Palestinian-American Internet Personality and YouTube Star Known for His Comedic Video Content)
Birthdate: August 9, 1991
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, United States
Anwar Jibawi is a Palestinian-American social media celebrity. He is best known for creating comedic content on platforms like YouTube and Instagram. He is also known for directing music videos for artistes like Anitta and Lele Pons. Anwar Jibawi has also appeared in movies like Keys of Christmas and Airplane Mode.
Birthdate: March 13, 1941
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Al-Birwa
Died: August 9, 2008
Revered as the Palestinian national poet, Mahmoud Darwish was born in al-Birwa, a village that was ravaged by Israelis. He was exiled in Paris and Beirut for many years and was even once put in prison for reciting a poem. His writing style merged traditional Arabic forms with modern elements.
Birthdate: August 31, 1997
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Nazareth, Israel
6
Ismail Haniya(Senior Political Leader of Hamas and Formerly One of Two Disputed Prime Ministers of the Palestinian National Authority)
Birthdate: January 29, 1962
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Al-Shati Camp, Gaza
Ismail Haniya is a political leader of Hamas and the current Chairman of the Hamas Political Bureau. From 2006 to 2014, he served as the Prime Minister of the Palestinian National Authority. However, his premiership was disputed.
Birthdate: October 10, 1977
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Nazareth, Israel
8
Ahmed Yassin(Palestinian Politician and Imam Who Founded Hamas)
Birthdate: January 1, 1937
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Al-Jura, Mandatory Palestine
Died: March 22, 2004
Ahmed Yassin was a Palestinian politician who founded Hamas, a militant Islamist organization. He was also an imam and served as Hamas' spiritual leader after its founding in 1987. Ahmed Yassin was assassinated on 22 March 2004 by the Israel Defense Forces.
Birthdate: 0000
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Palestine
Died: November 30, 0062
Birthdate: 0767
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Gaza
Died: January 20, 0820
Birthdate: 0050 BC
Birthplace: Bethlehem
Died: 0012 AD
Though she finds no mention in the Bible, Saint Anne is regarded as the mother of the Virgin Mary, and thus the grandmother of Jesus Christ. Ancient scriptures mention how Gabriel had visited childless Anne and Joachim and had told them they would have a child dedicated to God.
Birthplace: al-Eizariya, Palestine
Lazarus of Bethany, or Saint Lazarus, is revered in the Eastern Orthodox Church as Righteous Lazarus. The Bible suggests he was resurrected by Jesus four days after he died. However, there are two different narratives about Lazarus in the Bible, leading people to believe they were separate people.
Birthdate: January 16, 1980
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Alameda County, California, United States
Birthdate: September 1, 1989
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Misrata, Libya
15
Hanan Ashrawi(Palestinian Politician, Legislator, Activist, and Scholar)
Birthdate: October 8, 1946
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Nablus, Palestine
Hanan Ashrawi is a Palestinian leader, legislator, activist, and scholar. She was the official spokesperson of the Palestinian delegation at the Madrid Peace Conference of 1991 and was elected to the Palestinian Legislative Council as a representative of Jerusalem in 1996. She is also the founder of the Independent Commission for Human Rights and the author of several books.
Birthdate: 1895 AD
Birthplace: Jerusalem, Israel
Died: July 4, 1974
Amin al-Husseini, the grand mufti of Jerusalem, is remembered as a symbol of Arab nationalist resistance to Palestinian Zionism. His rebellions made the British drop the idea of making Palestine a Jewish state. During World War II, he rallied to stop Jewish immigrants from entering Palestine from Nazi-occupied countries.
Birthdate: June 6, 1959
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Kobar
Marwan Barghouti is a Palestinian political figure who was arrested by the Israeli Defense Forces on charges of murder. Considered the leader of the First Palestinian Intifada and the Second Intifada, Marwan Barghouti still plays an influential role in the political matters of Fatah from within the prison.
18
Khalil al-Wazir(Palestinian Leader and Co-founder of the Nationalist Party Fatah)
Birthdate: October 10, 1935
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Ramla, Israel
Died: April 16, 1988
Palestinian political leader and co-founder of the party Fatah, Khalil al-Wazir became a top leader of Yasser Arafat’s Palestine Liberation Organization. He fled his native Palestine during the war that formed Israel. A military strategist, too, he later participated in the First Intifada and was later killed by Israeli commandos.
Birthdate: 0100 AD
Birthplace: Nablus
Died: 0165 AD
Justin Martyr was a philosopher and early Christian apologist. He is best remembered for his text, the First Apology, which attempts to convince Emperor Antoninus to give up the persecution of the Church. He was martyred and is venerated as a saint by Anglican Church, Catholic Church, Oriental Orthodox Churches, and the Eastern Orthodox Church.
Birthdate: June 5, 1991
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Brooklyn, New York, United States
Birthdate: April 28, 1955
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Abu Dis, Jordanian-ruled West Bank
Died: November 10, 2020
Saeb Erekat was a Palestinian diplomat and politician. He was a Member of the Palestinian Parliament for Jericho from 1996 to 2020. As the chief negotiator, Erekat was involved in almost all negotiations with Israel from 1995 to 2003. He also served as the secretary general of the Palestine Liberation Organization's executive committee from 2015 until his demise in 2020.
Birthdate: December 8, 1966
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Nazareth, Israel
Died: March 24, 2018
Birthdate: July 28, 1960
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Nazareth, Israel
Elia Suleiman is a Palestinian film director. His 2002 film Divine Intervention won the Jury Prize at the 2002 Cannes Film Festival. Early in his career, he co-directed the experimental documentary Introduction to the End of an Argument. He has also directed many feature films. In addition to his entertainment career, he is a professor at the European Graduate School.
24
Yasser Arafat(1st President of the Palestinian National Authority)
Birthdate: August 24, 1929
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Cairo
Died: November 11, 2004
Yasser Arafat was a Palestinian political leader. One of the most important figures of the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which began in the mid-20th century, Yasser Arafat remains a controversial figure as he is regarded as a hero by the Palestinian people while the Israelis view him as a terrorist.
Birthdate: September 13, 1997
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Khuza'a, Khan Yunis, Gaza Strip
Died: June 1, 2018
26
Abū Niḍāl(Palestinian Military Leader and Founder of 'The Abu Nidal Organization')
Birthdate: 1937
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Jaffa, Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel
Died: August 16, 2002
Abu Nidal was a Palestinian military leader who founded the Abu Nidal Organization. The organization was considered the most ruthless of all Palestinian groups at the peak of its militancy during the 1970s and 1980s. It is believed that Abu Nidal ordered attacks in at least 20 nations, killing more than 300 and injuring over 650.
27
Mahmoud Abbas(President of the State of Palestine and Palestinian National Authority)
Birthdate: March 26, 1935
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Safed
Despite growing up as a refugee after fleeing his hometown of Safed to Syria, amid the 1948 Arab-Israeli war, Mahmoud Abbas went on to become a lawyer and later earned his PhD. The former prime minister of the Palestinian National Authority became its president after Yasser Arafat’s death.
28
Salam Fayyad(Former Prime Minister of the Palestinian National Authority)
Birthdate: April 12, 1952
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Deir al-Ghusun, Palestine
Salam Fayyad is a Jordanian-Palestinian politician who served as the Prime Minister of the Palestinian National Authority from 15 June 2007 to 6 June 2013. However, his premiership was not recognized by the Legislative Council. Salam Fayyad also served as the Foreign Affairs Minister of the Palestinian National Authority in 2007.
Birthdate: November 30, 1960
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Nazareth, Israel
Birthdate: 1952
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Beirut, Lebanon
31
Sirhan Sirhan(Palestinian Convicted Murderer Who Assassinated U.S. Senator Robert F. Kennedy)
Birthdate: March 19, 1944
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Jerusalem, Israel
Sirhan Sirhan is a Palestinian militant who assassinated U.S. senator Robert F. Kennedy, brother of John F. Kennedy, by shooting him at the Los Angeles-based Ambassador Hotel, on June 5, 1968. Sirhan was convicted of murder. He is currently serving a life sentence at the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility.
Birthdate: June 3, 1970
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Kuwait
Birthdate: April 9, 1944
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Haifa, Israel
Birthdate: May 15, 1988
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Tel Aviv – Yafo, Israel
Birthdate: 0310 AD
Birthplace: Eleutheropolis, Palestine
Died: April 12, 0403
Birthdate: March 24, 1935
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Haifa, Palestine
Died: January 6, 2016
Birthdate: 1177
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Jerusalem, Kingdom of Jerusalem, Israel
Died: July 31, 1186
38
Aḥmad Shuqayrī(First Chairman of the Executive Committee of the 'Palestine Liberation Organization')
Birthdate: January 1, 1908
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Tabnīn, Lebanon
Died: February 26, 1980
Aḥmad Shuqayrī was a Lebanese Palestinian political leader who served as the first Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization from May 1964 to December 1967. Aḥmad Shuqayrī was used as a scapegoat by his opponents as one of his purported statements was used as part of the government's rationalization of their initiation of the Six-Day War.
Birthdate: May 14, 1938
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Arabeh, Palestine
Died: August 27, 2001
Abu Ali Mustafa was a Palestinian militant best remembered for his association with the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, where he served as the General Secretary from July 2000 until his assassination by Israeli forces on 27 August 2001.
Birthdate: July 17, 1963
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Jerusalem, Israel
41
Rami Hamdallah(Palestinian Academic and Politician Who Served as the Prime Minister of Palestine)
Birthdate: August 10, 1958
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Anabta, West Bank, Jordan
Rami Hamdallah is a Palestinian academic and politician. He is best known for his service as the Prime Minister of the State of Palestine from 6 June 2013 to 14 April 2019. He also served as the Prime Minister of the Palestinian National Authority from 2014 to 2019. Rami Hamdallah also works as a professor in a non-governmental public university.
Birthdate: 1947 AD
Birthplace: Ramallah, Palestine
43
Salah Shehada(Palestinian Militant and an Important Leader of 'Hamas')
Birthdate: February 24, 1953
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Beit Hanoun, Gaza Strip
Died: July 22, 2002
Salah Shehade was a Palestinian militant who was part of the infamous Sunni-Islamic fundamentalist, nationalist, and militant organization, Hamas. He was in charge of the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas. Salah Shehade was killed by the Israeli Defense Forces on 22 July 2002.
Birthdate: June 26, 1993
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Nyköping, Sweden
45
Kamal Nasser(Palestinian Writer, Poet, and Political Leader)
Birthdate: 1924 AD
Birthplace: Gaza, Mandatory Palestine
Died: April 10, 1973
Kamal Nasser was a Palestinian writer, poet, and political leader. A published poet, Nasser wrote many poems, some of which were translated into English. He also co-founded the al-Ba‘ath newspaper and the al-Jil al-Jadid newspaper. Kamal Nasser also served as the editor of another newspaper named Filastin al-Thawra.
Birthdate: 0291 AD
Birthplace: Gaza, Palestine
Died: 0371 AD
Birthdate: 1940 AD
Birthplace: Acre in Mandatory Palestine
Birthdate: 1981 AD
Birthplace: Gaza City, Palestine
Died: January 14, 2004
Birthdate: 1917 AD
Birthplace: Nablus, Mandatory Palestine
Died: December 12, 2003
Birthdate: 0110 AD
Birthplace: Palestine
Died: April 7, 0180