Hatem Ishaq Husseini (1941–December 27, 1994) was a Palestinian educationist, academic and President of Al-Quds University.[1][2] He was the first President of Al-Quds University.
Early life
Husseini was born in 1941 in Jerusalem. His father was Ishak and mother was Ulwiya Husseini.[3] His family was forced to flee to Aleppo, Syria in March 1948 during the Nakba.[3] He moved with his family to Beirut after his father got a job at the American University of Beirut.[3] They moved to Cairo after his father got a job at the American University in Cairo.[3] His parents invested their lifesavings to build a home in East Jerusalem but that was stopped by the Six-Day War.[3]
Husseini studied at the American University of Beirut and graduated from the American University in Cairo with a bachelor in economics.[3] He completed an MBA at the University of Rhode Island.[3] He completed his PhD at the University of Massachusetts in 1969.[3]
Career
Husseini taught at Shaw University, Smith College, and the University of Maryland.[3] He gave a lecturer at Duke University.[3] He wrote The Palestine Problem and Toward Peace in Palestine in 1974.[3] He was a member of the Organization of Arab Students.[4] On 24 April 1976, he wrote an opinion piece, Yearning for Palestine, for the New York Times in which he called for peaceful future for Arabs and Jews.[5] He joined the Fatah party and in 1977 he became a member of the Palestinian National Council.[3][6] He was appointed director of the League of Arab States office in Washington, DC.[3] He founded the Palestinian Information Office in Washington DC in 1978 to represent Palestinian interests in America and improve ties.[3][7]
Husseini became deputy director of the Permanent Observer Mission of the State of Palestine to the United Nations.[3][8] In 1983, he hosted Charlie Bitton, Israeli member of parliament, at a luncheon in New York City.[9] In 1993, he returned to Jerusalem to become the President of Al-Quds University.[3] He attempted to combine four colleges under the University but was denied permission by the Israeli government who deemed it illegal and issued four different licenses.[10]
Personal life
Husseini was married to Rabee'a.[11]
Death
Husseini died on 27 December 1994 in Jerusalem from cancer.[3]
References
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