Abd al-Bari Atwan
Encyclopedia
Abdel Bari Atwan is the editor-in chief of the London
-based pan-Arab newspaper Al-Quds Al-Arabi
.
, a Palestinian refugee camp in the Gaza Strip
, two years after the creation of Israel
. His parents Zilfa and Muhammad Atwan lived in Isdud.
He was one of 11 children. After receiving his primary school education at the camp, his schooling was continued first in Jordan
in 1967, and then in Cairo
, Egypt
.
In 1970 he entered Cairo University
where he studied journalism
and also received a diploma in English
-Arabic
translation
. After his graduation he started work as a journalist, first with the al-Balaagh newspaper in Libya
, then with al-Madina in Saudi Arabia
. In 1978, he moved to London
, where he has lived ever since, and assumed a job with al-Sharq al-Awsat, a major Saudi-owned international daily. In 1980 he set up the London office of al-Madina and in 1984 returned to al-Sharq al-Awsat.
In 1989, al-Quds al-Arabi
was founded by expatriate
Palestinians and Abdel Bari Atwan was offered the job as editor-in-chief, which he has held since. The paper has as of 2007 grown into one of the major pan-Arab dailies, and is known for its strident Arab nationalism
and defense of the Palestinian cause
. It has been banned and censored
repeatedly in several Arab countries
for vocal criticism of what the paper alleges is their autocratic
rule and excessive deference to Israel
and the USA. As editor of al-Quds al-Arabi, Abdel Bari Atwan has become a well-known Arab public figure, and is a regular guest on Dateline London
on BBC World
, Sky News
, Al Jazeera English and CNN
World, as well as on several Arabic-language networks. He has contributed numerous Opinion Editorials to a variety of English newspapers and other English-language publications; he writes regularly for Gulf News.
He has written two books, see below, and contributed chapters and essays to several academic and specialist books and journals.
Known for his lively delivery, Atwan regularly gives talks and lectures around the world at a variety of events and venues from the Edinburgh Festival to Harvard University.
. He had to travel through the mountains, dressed in Afghan
clothing. He later called the experience his "most frightening trip". His impression of bin Laden was that he is "a phenomenon, extreme".
He stayed in the caves for four days, sleeping in primitive conditions in sub-zero temperatures.
In his book, The Secret History of al-Qa'ida Atwan states, "I do not endorse or in any way support al-Qa'ida's agenda" and "I utterly condemn the attacks on innocent citizens in the West".
9/11 attack Atwan opined: "The events of 11 September will be remembered as the end of the US empire. This is because all empires collapse when they pursue the arrogance of power."
on 31 May 2011, he stated: "We used to have one address for Al Qaeda. [...] Tora Bora, Tora Bora main square, Tora Bora highroad, the third cave on the left. [...] Now we have Al Qaeda in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen, Iraq, Somalia and in the Islamic Maghreb."
's resistance to the US invasion of Iraq, commenting on the former president's execution that he "will go to the gallows with his head held high, because he built a strong united Iraq without sectarianism
"
and dance with delight." He further stated in the case of war, Iran would retaliate against its Arab neighbors, American bases in the Gulf and "Allah willing, it will attack Israel, as well."
In March 2008, Atwan said that the Mercaz HaRav shooting, in which a Palestinian gunmen killed eight students (aged 15 to 26), "was justified." He added that the Mercaz HaRav
yeshiva is responsible for "hatching Israeli extremists and fundamentalists" and that the celebrations in Gaza following the attack symbolized "the courage of the Palestinian nation."
A highly vocal critic of what he describes as Israel's "racist" and "apartheid" treatment of his fellow Gazans, Atwan is nevertheless an advocate of a peaceful, non-violent settlement to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. In his memoir, 'A Country of Words', Atwan says, "We have to learn to live together in peace and co-operation in a multi-cultural society in one democratic secular state for two people. One state for both peoples governed by a representative democracy and on an equal footing. We manage it here in London, it is working in South Africa, and there is enough room for everyone in Palestine. I respect the Jewish people and their religion. I do not want to destroy Israel but I do want to end racism and the current Apartheid system."
According to his personal website, Atwan has been banned by Israeli authorities from visiting the Palestinian territories since 2000. As a result, he was neither able to visit his sick mother nor attend her funeral after she died in 2003.
Atwan described the attacks on Israelis in Eilat
as correcting "the course of the Arab revolutions and refocused them on the most dangerous disease, namely the Israeli tyranny. This disease is the cause of all the defects that have afflicted the region for the past 65 years."
In a March 2011 article in the British newspaper, The Telegraph, the leader of the Libyan rebels, Abdel-Hakim al-Hasidi, stated in and interview with the Italian newspaper Il Sole 24 Ore that he did have connections with Al Quieda. Abdel-Hakim al-Hasidi also stated that he had '...earlier fought against "the foreign invasion" in Afghanistan, before being "captured in 2002 in Peshwar, in Pakistan". He was later handed over to the US, and then held in Libya before being released in 2008.' Al Quieda leaders have backed the rebellion in Libya and have stated that it will "...lead to the imposition of "the stage of Islam" in the country."
On 4th September 2011, Mustafa Abdul Jalil, chair of the NTC, the interim free Libyan government, in an attempt to damage Atwan's reputation as a commentator, alleged that documentary proof had emerged that Atwan was on the payroll of Gadaffi. Atwan has re-iterated that there is no truth in this baseless allegation and is currently suing Mustafa Abdul Jalil for defamation in the UK courts.
(ASIO). Subsequently this turned out to be over-enthusiastic reporting. According to ASIO, Mr Atwan had only been delayed by the Australian Intelligence for less than four weeks. ASIO is reported to have said "It is false to suggest it's anything to do with the media campaign or conspiracy theories, We had to seek some additional information. Dr Atwan's application was treated like everybody else's".
In response to Atwan's legitimization of the Mercaz HaRav shooting in March 2008, Lior Ben-Dor, a spokesman at the Israeli Embassy in London, said: "The problem is that when addressing the British public, he tends to hide his true opinions and ideology - his support for terror and the murder of civilians. This article reveals Atwan's real colors, a supporter of fundamentalism and terror, and hence he should be treated accordingly."
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
-based pan-Arab newspaper Al-Quds Al-Arabi
Al-Quds Al-Arabi
Al-Quds Al-Arabi , is an independent pan-Arab daily newspaper published in London since 1989. The paper is owned by Palestinian expatriates, and edited by Abd al-Bari Atwan who was born in a Palestinian refugee camp in Gaza Strip in 1950. Its motto is . Its circulation is estimated to be...
.
Personal and career background
Abdel Bari Atwan was born on February 17, 1950 in Deir el-BalahDeir el-Balah
Deir el-Balah or Dayr al-Balah is located in the central Gaza Strip and is the capital or muhfaza of the Deir el-Balah Governorate...
, a Palestinian refugee camp in the Gaza Strip
Gaza Strip
thumb|Gaza city skylineThe Gaza Strip lies on the Eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea. The Strip borders Egypt on the southwest and Israel on the south, east and north. It is about long, and between 6 and 12 kilometres wide, with a total area of...
, two years after the creation of Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
. His parents Zilfa and Muhammad Atwan lived in Isdud.
He was one of 11 children. After receiving his primary school education at the camp, his schooling was continued first in Jordan
Jordan
Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
in 1967, and then in Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
, Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
.
In 1970 he entered Cairo University
Cairo University
Cairo University is a public university located in Giza, Egypt.The university was founded on December 21, 1908, as the result of an effort to establish a national center for educational thought...
where he studied journalism
Journalism
Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...
and also received a diploma in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
-Arabic
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
translation
Translation
Translation is the communication of the meaning of a source-language text by means of an equivalent target-language text. Whereas interpreting undoubtedly antedates writing, translation began only after the appearance of written literature; there exist partial translations of the Sumerian Epic of...
. After his graduation he started work as a journalist, first with the al-Balaagh newspaper in Libya
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
, then with al-Madina in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
. In 1978, he moved to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, where he has lived ever since, and assumed a job with al-Sharq al-Awsat, a major Saudi-owned international daily. In 1980 he set up the London office of al-Madina and in 1984 returned to al-Sharq al-Awsat.
In 1989, al-Quds al-Arabi
Al-Quds Al-Arabi
Al-Quds Al-Arabi , is an independent pan-Arab daily newspaper published in London since 1989. The paper is owned by Palestinian expatriates, and edited by Abd al-Bari Atwan who was born in a Palestinian refugee camp in Gaza Strip in 1950. Its motto is . Its circulation is estimated to be...
was founded by expatriate
Expatriate
An expatriate is a person temporarily or permanently residing in a country and culture other than that of the person's upbringing...
Palestinians and Abdel Bari Atwan was offered the job as editor-in-chief, which he has held since. The paper has as of 2007 grown into one of the major pan-Arab dailies, and is known for its strident Arab nationalism
Arab nationalism
Arab nationalism is a nationalist ideology celebrating the glories of Arab civilization, the language and literature of the Arabs, calling for rejuvenation and political union in the Arab world...
and defense of the Palestinian cause
Israeli-Palestinian conflict
The Israeli–Palestinian conflict is the ongoing conflict between Israelis and Palestinians. The conflict is wide-ranging, and the term is also used in reference to the earlier phases of the same conflict, between Jewish and Zionist yishuv and the Arab population living in Palestine under Ottoman or...
. It has been banned and censored
Censorship
thumb|[[Book burning]] following the [[1973 Chilean coup d'état|1973 coup]] that installed the [[Military government of Chile |Pinochet regime]] in Chile...
repeatedly in several Arab countries
Arab world
The Arab world refers to Arabic-speaking states, territories and populations in North Africa, Western Asia and elsewhere.The standard definition of the Arab world comprises the 22 states and territories of the Arab League stretching from the Atlantic Ocean in the west to the Arabian Sea in the...
for vocal criticism of what the paper alleges is their autocratic
Autocracy
An autocracy is a form of government in which one person is the supreme power within the state. It is derived from the Greek : and , and may be translated as "one who rules by himself". It is distinct from oligarchy and democracy...
rule and excessive deference to Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
and the USA. As editor of al-Quds al-Arabi, Abdel Bari Atwan has become a well-known Arab public figure, and is a regular guest on Dateline London
Dateline London
Dateline London is a weekly news discussion programme shown on both BBC News and BBC World News. The programme, presented by Gavin Esler, with Nik Gowing and Lyse Doucet acting as relief presenters, features a roundtable panel of foreign and British journalists who discuss the week's top news...
on BBC World
BBC World
BBC World News is the BBC's international news and current affairs television channel. It has the largest audience of any BBC channel in the world...
, Sky News
Sky News
Sky News is a 24-hour British and international satellite television news broadcaster with an emphasis on UK and international news stories.The service places emphasis on rolling news, including the latest breaking news. Sky News also hosts localised versions of the channel in Australia and in New...
, Al Jazeera English and CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
World, as well as on several Arabic-language networks. He has contributed numerous Opinion Editorials to a variety of English newspapers and other English-language publications; he writes regularly for Gulf News.
He has written two books, see below, and contributed chapters and essays to several academic and specialist books and journals.
Known for his lively delivery, Atwan regularly gives talks and lectures around the world at a variety of events and venues from the Edinburgh Festival to Harvard University.
Bin Laden interview
In 1996 Abdel Bari Atwan interviewed Osama bin LadenOsama bin Laden
Osama bin Mohammed bin Awad bin Laden was the founder of the militant Islamist organization Al-Qaeda, the jihadist organization responsible for the September 11 attacks on the United States and numerous other mass-casualty attacks against civilian and military targets...
. He had to travel through the mountains, dressed in Afghan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
clothing. He later called the experience his "most frightening trip". His impression of bin Laden was that he is "a phenomenon, extreme".
He stayed in the caves for four days, sleeping in primitive conditions in sub-zero temperatures.
In his book, The Secret History of al-Qa'ida Atwan states, "I do not endorse or in any way support al-Qa'ida's agenda" and "I utterly condemn the attacks on innocent citizens in the West".
September 11 attacks
On the fifth anniversary of the New YorkNew York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
9/11 attack Atwan opined: "The events of 11 September will be remembered as the end of the US empire. This is because all empires collapse when they pursue the arrogance of power."
Al-Qaeda
Atwan has repeatedly expressed his view that the war on terror is the root cause for the creation of numerous regional Al Qaeda offshoots. At the second Dubai DebatesDubai Debates
Dubai Debates is an online video debating forum based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. According to its website, Dubai Debates offers "a platform for online opinion leaders, pundits, academics, journalists, politicians, activists and all interested users to exchange ideas through videos." In...
on 31 May 2011, he stated: "We used to have one address for Al Qaeda. [...] Tora Bora, Tora Bora main square, Tora Bora highroad, the third cave on the left. [...] Now we have Al Qaeda in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen, Iraq, Somalia and in the Islamic Maghreb."
US invasion of Iraq
He expressed sympathy with Saddam HusseinSaddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti was the fifth President of Iraq, serving in this capacity from 16 July 1979 until 9 April 2003...
's resistance to the US invasion of Iraq, commenting on the former president's execution that he "will go to the gallows with his head held high, because he built a strong united Iraq without sectarianism
Sectarianism
Sectarianism, according to one definition, is bigotry, discrimination or hatred arising from attaching importance to perceived differences between subdivisions within a group, such as between different denominations of a religion, class, regional or factions of a political movement.The ideological...
"
Israel
Speaking about Iran's nuclear capability in an interview on Lebanese television in June 2007, Atwan stated, "If the Iranian missiles strike Israel, by Allah, I will go to Trafalgar SquareTrafalgar Square
Trafalgar Square is a public space and tourist attraction in central London, England, United Kingdom. At its centre is Nelson's Column, which is guarded by four lion statues at its base. There are a number of statues and sculptures in the square, with one plinth displaying changing pieces of...
and dance with delight." He further stated in the case of war, Iran would retaliate against its Arab neighbors, American bases in the Gulf and "Allah willing, it will attack Israel, as well."
In March 2008, Atwan said that the Mercaz HaRav shooting, in which a Palestinian gunmen killed eight students (aged 15 to 26), "was justified." He added that the Mercaz HaRav
Mercaz haRav
Mercaz HaRav , more properly, Mercaz HaRav Kook ), is a national-religious yeshiva in Jerusalem, Israel, founded in 1924 by Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook. It has become synonymous with his teachings....
yeshiva is responsible for "hatching Israeli extremists and fundamentalists" and that the celebrations in Gaza following the attack symbolized "the courage of the Palestinian nation."
A highly vocal critic of what he describes as Israel's "racist" and "apartheid" treatment of his fellow Gazans, Atwan is nevertheless an advocate of a peaceful, non-violent settlement to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. In his memoir, 'A Country of Words', Atwan says, "We have to learn to live together in peace and co-operation in a multi-cultural society in one democratic secular state for two people. One state for both peoples governed by a representative democracy and on an equal footing. We manage it here in London, it is working in South Africa, and there is enough room for everyone in Palestine. I respect the Jewish people and their religion. I do not want to destroy Israel but I do want to end racism and the current Apartheid system."
According to his personal website, Atwan has been banned by Israeli authorities from visiting the Palestinian territories since 2000. As a result, he was neither able to visit his sick mother nor attend her funeral after she died in 2003.
Atwan described the attacks on Israelis in Eilat
2011 southern Israel cross-border attacks
On August 18, 2011, a series of cross-border attacks with parallel attacks and mutual cover was carried out in southern Israel on Highway 12 near the Egyptian border by a squad of presumably 12 militants in four groups...
as correcting "the course of the Arab revolutions and refocused them on the most dangerous disease, namely the Israeli tyranny. This disease is the cause of all the defects that have afflicted the region for the past 65 years."
Libyan Uprising 2011
On 17 April 2011, speaking on BBC News Channel's Dateline London, Atwan claimed that "We know that Eastern area of Libya is almost a hotbed of extremist Al-Qaeda people. I know that personally". Atwan's early analysis that a significant part of the rebel leadership is from the Libyan Fighting group, an al-Qa'ida affiliate, has since been born out and is a source of great concern to the West.In a March 2011 article in the British newspaper, The Telegraph, the leader of the Libyan rebels, Abdel-Hakim al-Hasidi, stated in and interview with the Italian newspaper Il Sole 24 Ore that he did have connections with Al Quieda. Abdel-Hakim al-Hasidi also stated that he had '...earlier fought against "the foreign invasion" in Afghanistan, before being "captured in 2002 in Peshwar, in Pakistan". He was later handed over to the US, and then held in Libya before being released in 2008.' Al Quieda leaders have backed the rebellion in Libya and have stated that it will "...lead to the imposition of "the stage of Islam" in the country."
On 4th September 2011, Mustafa Abdul Jalil, chair of the NTC, the interim free Libyan government, in an attempt to damage Atwan's reputation as a commentator, alleged that documentary proof had emerged that Atwan was on the payroll of Gadaffi. Atwan has re-iterated that there is no truth in this baseless allegation and is currently suing Mustafa Abdul Jalil for defamation in the UK courts.
Brisbane visa affair
In a scheduled visit to the Brisbane Writers Festival in September 2007 Atwan's visa was reported as being blocked by the Australian Security Intelligence OrganisationAustralian Security Intelligence Organisation
The Australian Security Intelligence Organisation is Australia's national security service, which is responsible for the protection of the country and its citizens from espionage, sabotage, acts of foreign interference, politically-motivated violence, attacks on the Australian defence system, and...
(ASIO). Subsequently this turned out to be over-enthusiastic reporting. According to ASIO, Mr Atwan had only been delayed by the Australian Intelligence for less than four weeks. ASIO is reported to have said "It is false to suggest it's anything to do with the media campaign or conspiracy theories, We had to seek some additional information. Dr Atwan's application was treated like everybody else's".
Criticism
Following an October 2003 article in which Atwan claimed that the U.S. is to blame for the Arab world's hatred of it, a Yemenite journalist and columnist for the London Arabic-language daily Al-Sharq Al-Awsat, Munir Al-Mawari, stated: "The Abd Al-Bari Atwan [appearing] on CNN is completely different from the Abdel Bari Atwan on the Al-Jazeera network or in his Al-Quds Al-Arabi daily. On CNN, Atwan speaks solemnly and with total composure, presenting rational and balanced views. This is in complete contrast with his fuming appearances on Al-Jazeera and in Al-Quds Al-Arabi, in which he whips up the emotions of multitudes of viewers and readers."In response to Atwan's legitimization of the Mercaz HaRav shooting in March 2008, Lior Ben-Dor, a spokesman at the Israeli Embassy in London, said: "The problem is that when addressing the British public, he tends to hide his true opinions and ideology - his support for terror and the murder of civilians. This article reveals Atwan's real colors, a supporter of fundamentalism and terror, and hence he should be treated accordingly."
Books
- The Secret History of Al-Qa'ida, Abdel Bari Atwan, Abacus (2006), ISBN 978-0-349-12035-5
- A Country of Words: The Life of Abdel Bari Atwan: A Palestinian Journey from the Refugee Camp to the Front Page, Abdel Bari Atwan, SAQISaqi BooksSaqi Books is an independent UK publisher co-founded in 1984 by author and feminist Mai Ghoussoub to "print quality academic and general interest books on the Middle East". It now claims to be "the UK's largest publisher of Middle Eastern and Arabic titles"...
(25 September 2008), ISBN 978-0-86356-621-9