Hasan Abdel Rahman
Encyclopedia
Hasan Abdel Rahman is a former Palestinian National Authority
Ambassador
to the United States of America and current PNA Ambassador to the Kingdom of Morocco. Nominated by the PLO Executive Committee
in 1983 to serve as the PLO's representative in Washington, D.C., from 1994 through 2005 he represented the Palestinian National Authority
in the American capital.
Ambassador Abdel Rahman began his academic career at Damascus University in the early 1960s. However, his active participation in the university's Palestinian
student political movement brought him to the attention of the Syrian Mukhabarat
, eventually forcing him to flee Syria
in 1964 for Latin America. Ambassador Abdel Rahman ended up spending one year in Argentina
and three years in Brazil
before moving on to various Caribbean nations and eventually settling in Puerto Rico
.
In 1971, Ambassador Abdel Rahman graduated from the Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico
with a bachelors degree in political science
and sociology
. One year later, he earned a masters degree in public administration
from the University of Puerto Rico
. In 1972, Ambassador Abdel Rahman left for the United States where he was a doctoral candidate in political science
from the City College of New York
.
In 1974, Ambassador Abdel Rahman was hired by the PLO to help prepare for Yasser Arafat
's historic address to the United Nations
. When on November 22, 1974, the organization received formal observer status
, Ambassador Abdel Rahman became its deputy representative in New York
. Just weeks prior to the announcement, Ambassador Abdel Rahman was the victim of a terrorist attack in his New York
offices by two armed members of the Jewish Defense League
who entered the building and beat him with pipes and bats, leaving him with permanent scars on his forehead
.
In 1983, Ambassador Abdel Rahman was appointed to serve as the PLO's official representative to the United States, a position he held (save for a brief two-year interlude as the organization's representative in Canada between 1991–1992) until the signing of the Declaration of Principles in September 1993. From 1994 to 2005, he served as chief representative of the Palestinian National Authority
to the United States. As a fluent Spanish speaker, he concurrently served as the PNA's liaison to the governments of Colombia
, Chile
and Venezuela
.
In addition to his official representative positions, Ambassador Abdel Rahman was an active participant in the Peace Process in the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
, serving as a senior political advisor to the Palestinian negotiating teams at the Madrid Conference of 1991
, Wye River Conference and Camp David 2000 Summit
.
During his tenure in Washington, D.C., Ambassador Abdel Rahman was a frequent guest on television news programs and the college lecture circuit.
Since 2006, he has served as Palestinian
ambassador to the court of King Mohammed VI of Morocco.
Palestinian National Authority
The Palestinian Authority is the administrative organization established to govern parts of the West Bank and Gaza Strip...
Ambassador
Ambassador
An ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....
to the United States of America and current PNA Ambassador to the Kingdom of Morocco. Nominated by the PLO Executive Committee
PLO Executive Committee
The Executive Committee is the highest executive body of the Palestine Liberation Organization .Its 18 members are elected by the PLO Parliament, the Palestinian National Council , often as representatives of the PLO member factions...
in 1983 to serve as the PLO's representative in Washington, D.C., from 1994 through 2005 he represented the Palestinian National Authority
Palestinian National Authority
The Palestinian Authority is the administrative organization established to govern parts of the West Bank and Gaza Strip...
in the American capital.
Ambassador Abdel Rahman began his academic career at Damascus University in the early 1960s. However, his active participation in the university's Palestinian
Palestinian people
The Palestinian people, also referred to as Palestinians or Palestinian Arabs , are an Arabic-speaking people with origins in Palestine. Despite various wars and exoduses, roughly one third of the world's Palestinian population continues to reside in the area encompassing the West Bank, the Gaza...
student political movement brought him to the attention of the Syrian Mukhabarat
Mukhabarat
Mukhābarāt is the Arabic term for intelligence, as in intelligence agency. In the West, the term is sometimes used negatively, connotating repression, often by means of secret police or state terror, in Arab countries...
, eventually forcing him to flee Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
in 1964 for Latin America. Ambassador Abdel Rahman ended up spending one year in Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
and three years in Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
before moving on to various Caribbean nations and eventually settling in Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
.
In 1971, Ambassador Abdel Rahman graduated from the Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico
Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico
The Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico is a Roman Catholic university located in Ponce, Puerto Rico. It provides courses in the areas of education, business administration, arts and human studies and science, leading to Bachelor's, Master's and Doctorate Degrees. Its campus is also home...
with a bachelors degree in political science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
and sociology
Sociology
Sociology is the study of society. It is a social science—a term with which it is sometimes synonymous—which uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about human social activity...
. One year later, he earned a masters degree in public administration
Public administration
Public Administration houses the implementation of government policy and an academic discipline that studies this implementation and that prepares civil servants for this work. As a "field of inquiry with a diverse scope" its "fundamental goal.....
from the University of Puerto Rico
University of Puerto Rico
The University of Puerto Rico is the state university system of Puerto Rico. The system consists of 11 campuses and has approximately 64,511 students and 5,300 faculty members...
. In 1972, Ambassador Abdel Rahman left for the United States where he was a doctoral candidate in political science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
from the City College of New York
City College of New York
The City College of the City University of New York is a senior college of the City University of New York , in New York City. It is also the oldest of the City University's twenty-three institutions of higher learning...
.
In 1974, Ambassador Abdel Rahman was hired by the PLO to help prepare for Yasser Arafat
Yasser Arafat
Mohammed Yasser Abdel Rahman Abdel Raouf Arafat al-Qudwa al-Husseini , popularly known as Yasser Arafat or by his kunya Abu Ammar , was a Palestinian leader and a Laureate of the Nobel Prize. He was Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization , President of the Palestinian National Authority...
's historic address to the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
. When on November 22, 1974, the organization received formal observer status
Observer status
Observer status is a privilege granted by some organizations to non-members to give them an ability to participate in the organization's activities. Observer status is often granted by intergovernmental organizations to non-member states and international nongovernmental organizations that have...
, Ambassador Abdel Rahman became its deputy representative in New York
New 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...
. Just weeks prior to the announcement, Ambassador Abdel Rahman was the victim of a terrorist attack in his New York
New 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...
offices by two armed members of the Jewish Defense League
Jewish Defense League
The Jewish Defense League is a Jewish organization whose stated goal is to "protect Jews from antisemitism by whatever means necessary"...
who entered the building and beat him with pipes and bats, leaving him with permanent scars on his forehead
Forehead
For the Arsenal striker see GervinhoIn human anatomy, the forehead is the fore part of the head. It is, formally, an area of the head bounded by three features, two of the skull and one of the scalp. The top of the forehead is marked by the hairline, the edge of the area where hair on the scalp...
.
In 1983, Ambassador Abdel Rahman was appointed to serve as the PLO's official representative to the United States, a position he held (save for a brief two-year interlude as the organization's representative in Canada between 1991–1992) until the signing of the Declaration of Principles in September 1993. From 1994 to 2005, he served as chief representative of the Palestinian National Authority
Palestinian National Authority
The Palestinian Authority is the administrative organization established to govern parts of the West Bank and Gaza Strip...
to the United States. As a fluent Spanish speaker, he concurrently served as the PNA's liaison to the governments of Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
, Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
and Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
.
In addition to his official representative positions, Ambassador Abdel Rahman was an active participant in the Peace Process in the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
Peace process in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict
The peace process in the Israeli–Palestinian conflict has taken shape over the years, despite the ongoing violence in the Middle East and an "all or nothing" attitude about a lasting peace, "which prevailed for most of the twentieth century"...
, serving as a senior political advisor to the Palestinian negotiating teams at the Madrid Conference of 1991
Madrid Conference of 1991
The Madrid Conference was hosted by the government of Spain and co-sponsored by the USA and the USSR. It convened on October 30, 1991 and lasted for three days. It was an early attempt by the international community to start a peace process through negotiations involving Israel and the Palestinians...
, Wye River Conference and Camp David 2000 Summit
Camp David 2000 Summit
The Middle East Peace Summit at Camp David of July 2000 took place between United States President Bill Clinton, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak, and Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat...
.
During his tenure in Washington, D.C., Ambassador Abdel Rahman was a frequent guest on television news programs and the college lecture circuit.
Since 2006, he has served as Palestinian
Palestinian people
The Palestinian people, also referred to as Palestinians or Palestinian Arabs , are an Arabic-speaking people with origins in Palestine. Despite various wars and exoduses, roughly one third of the world's Palestinian population continues to reside in the area encompassing the West Bank, the Gaza...
ambassador to the court of King Mohammed VI of Morocco.