On 2 August 1926, George Habash was born in the city of Lod to an Orthodox Roman family. 

Habash lived his childhood and attended schools in Lod. He pursued his secondary school education at schools of Jaffa and Jerusalem. When he was only 16 years of age, Habash worked as a teacher at Jaffa and Jerusalem schools. 

In 1944, Habash left Palestine for Lebanon to pursue his higher education at the American University of Beirut. In 1951, he graduated as a physician. 

While he was at the university, Habash returned in 1948 to his hometown of Lod against his parents’ will. Despite the escalated Zionist aggression supported by the British Mandate Government, Habash worked at the Lod Hospital. He remained attached to his land and home until his family and he were forced to leave for Ramallah, and then to Jerusalem and Amman. After he had graduated from the Medicine School, Habash worked as a physician in Amman. He dedicated himself to treating the poor and Palestinian refugees in Jordan. 

Habash shaped his national awareness while he was studying at the American University of Beirut. The 1947 Partition Plan of Palestine was an extreme shock. Then, university students marched and held the slogan “Partition Plan must not be approved”. Along with his colleagues, Habash organised demonstrations in protest against this unjust resolution. At the time, Habash was engrossed with military operations that had taken place before the State of Israel was proclaimed in 1948. 

As he rejected to admit the defeat, Habash joined the Revolution in order to return to his homeland. Meantime, he was prosecuted and detained. At first, Habash cooperated with the Arab Fedayee Brigades, which launched many military operations against certain British and Western institutions. The Arab Fedayee Brigades was prosecuted and dissolved as it was deemed as an armed organisation. 

During their activity within the Al ‘Urwah al Wathaqi Association, Habash and his Arab companions established the Revenge Youth Organisation. Later, he founded the Arab Nationalist Youth Organisation, which called for non-recognition of Israel. Then, Habash established the Commission on the Resistance against Conciliation with Israel, which published a bulletin entitled Ath Tha’r. 

In 1952, Habash established the Arab Nationalists Movement together with his friends, including Wadi’ Haddad, Mustafa az Zibri (Abu Ali Mustafa), and Ahmed al Khatib of Kuwait. The Movement exerted a strong, large-scale influence on other nationalist movements throughout the Arab World. Based in Jordan, Habash continued to publicise his revolutionary ideas. In 1957, he left Jordan for Syria. 

The period between 1961 and 1964 was a difficult and tough phase in Habash’s struggle. Due to escalated prosecution campaigns, his activity was secret. Later, Habash was forced to leave Syria in secret for Lebanon so that he could pursue his struggle. 

• Habash played a significant role in supporting the idea of establishing the PLO. Represented by many members, the Arab Nationalists Movements took part in the efforts launched in 1964 to found the PLO. Then, the PLO embodied the Palestinian national identity, which was subject to erosion and melting. 

Together with a number of his comrades, Habash established in 1964 the Arab Nationalists Movement – Palestine Section. Ever since, Habash embarked on creating an enabling environment to launch the Palestinian armed struggle against the State of Israel. 

The June 1967 defeat and occupation of the remaining Palestinian territory, particularly the city of Jerusalem, exerted an adverse impact on Habash. The defeat also adversely affected the nationalist movement in general. 

Together with a group of his comrades, Habash established in 1967 the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), which included a number of Palestinian organisations. Then, the PFLP introduced an influential force on the ground, reflecting Habash’s mindset and faith in the Palestinian national unity in the confrontation of the occupying State of Israel. On the Palestinian scene, the PFLP identified itself as a progressive, nationalist and leftist organisation. 

Only a year after it had been established, Nayef Hawatmeh dissented from the PFLP and set up the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP). While the PFLP focused on armed struggle, Hawatmeh argued for consolidating ideological foundations of the PFLP. 

The PFLP saw another dissention after Ahmed Jibreel broke away and established the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine – General Command. These splits did not weaken the PFLP, however. The Front continued to be an essential component of the PLO, which hosted all Palestinian revolutionary factions in disregard of respective ideologies. 

The PFLP took part in battles to defend the Palestinian Revolution in Jordan as well as in incidents that ensued Black September. Later, Habash left Jordan along with the Palestinian Revolution Forces for Lebanon and resided in Beirut. 

Through his position as the PFLP leader, Habash maintained his political and struggle-oriented activity in Lebanon. Side by side with the PLO factions, he made significant successes and achievements for the Palestinian people. His relationship with Yasser Arafat was grounded on the idea of united struggle against the Israeli occupation. Despite political and intellectual disagreements, their relationship was always based on mutual respect and appreciation. Both leaders were duly diligent to defend the supreme goals and interests of the Palestinian people. What joined them in the phase of struggle outweighed what parted them. Even in the darkest moments, Yasser Arafat called Habash as the “Wise of the Revolution”. Truly, Habash enjoyed a sharp mind and distinctive faculty of scientific and political analysis. Arafat and Habash disagreed and contradicted one another a great deal, but they were never rivals. They were united by their homeland of Palestine. This was the distinctive character of the wise leader Habash, who always pointed his weapon to enemy. He always abandoned any internal disputes. 

Habash stayed in Lebanon until 1982, when the majority of Palestinian factions left for Tunis, Damascus and other Arab capitals. Habash moved to Damascus. In 2000, he conceded leadership of the PFLP and left for Amman, Jordan, where he spent his last years. 

In 2003, Habash and a group of Arab intellectuals established the Ghad Arab Centre for Studies – an independent, non-profit research institution. 

On 26 January 2008, Habash died and was buried in Amman.