Boulos Shehadeh

Palestinian journalist and politician (1882–1943)

SpouseMary SarroufChildren3

Boulos Shehadeh (1882–1943) was a Palestinian journalist and politician. He was the founder of the newspaper Mirat Al Sharq (Arabic: Mirror of the East). He also worked for various publications as a journalist.

Early life and education

Shehadeh was born in Ramallah in 1882.[1] He had two brothers.[1]

Shehadeh completed his high school education in the Zion College in Jerusalem and obtained a degree in Arabic language from the Shabab College, precursor of the English College.[1]

Career and activities

Shehadeh started his journalistic career during his studies. He worked as a correspondent for various newspapers and became a columnist for the Beirut-based newspaper Lisan al Hal. His column was titled Ashwak wa zahr (Arabic: Thorns and Flowers). Following his graduation Shehadeh was employed as a teacher at the Orthodox School in Haifa and became its principal in 1907.[2] He was a member of the Committee of Union and Progress.[2] He had to leave his teaching and administrative post at the Orthodox School in 1907 due to a speech he gave in Haifa in which he expressed harsh criticisms against the Ottoman Sultan Abdulhamid.[2] The Ottomans issued an arrest warrant for him, and he settled in Cairo, Egypt, where he worked for Al Zuhur, Al Muayyad, Al Muqattam, Al Hilal and Al Muqtataf.[1][2] Shehadeh also wrote poems.[3]

Shehadeh returned to Palestine after the Young Turk Revolution in 1908 and continued to work as a teacher and journalist.[2] He taught at the Orthodox School in Bethlehem and served as its principal until the beginning of World War I in 1914. He was then employed as a clerk in the Ottoman army in Beersheba. He worked as a pharmacist's assistant to his brother, Dr. Niqula Shehadeh, who was serving as the official municipality physician in Jenin and the head of the military hospital. Shehadeh was a teacher at the Rashidiya school in Jerusalem between 1919 and 1922.[1]

Shehadeh founded a newspaper entitled Mirat Al Sharq of which the first issue appeared on 17 September 1919.[1] He also edited the paper.[4] He participated in the establishment of the Arab National Party in 1923.[2][5] He was a member of the Arab Executive Committee between 1926 and 1938 and was part of the delegations that participated in the Arab Congresses held in Jerusalem, Haifa, and Nablus.[2] He was also among the founders of the National Defense Party in 1934.[1]

Shehadeh was a member of the Muslim-Christian Association and was among the active figures of the Palestinian Episcopalian community.[6]

Personal life and death

Shehadeh was married to Mary Sarrouf, and they had three children: two sons, Aziz (1921–1985) and Fouad (born 1925), and one daughter, Najla.[1][2][4]

Shehadeh died in Jerusalem on 1 August 1943 and was buried in a cemetery in Ramallah.[7]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h "Boulos Shehadeh". Interactive Encyclopedia of the Palestine Question. Retrieved 25 December 2023.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Michael R. Fischbach (2005). "Shehadeh (family)". In Philip Mattar (ed.). Encyclopedia of The Palestinians (Revised ed.). New York: Facts On File, Inc. p. 444. ISBN 978-0816057641.
  3. ^ Raja Shehadeh (22 July 2019). "Going Home". Granta. Retrieved 25 December 2023.
  4. ^ a b Andrea L. Stanton (2013). This Is Jerusalem Calling: State Radio in Mandate Palestine. Austin, TX: University of Texas Press. p. 185. ISBN 978-0-292-74750-0.
  5. ^ Blake Alcott (2023). The Rape of Palestine: A Mandate Chronology. Vol. 2. Tredition Gmbh. p. 22. ISBN 978-3-347-89653-6.
  6. ^ Laura Robson (2011). Colonialism and Christianity in Mandate Palestine. Austin, TX: University of Texas Press. p. 86. doi:10.7560/726536. ISBN 978-0-292-73548-4.
  7. ^ "Boulos Shehadeh (1882-1943)". Institute for Palestine Studies. Retrieved 25 December 2023.
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