Yihya Abdul Salam Habash 

10 November 1939 – 1 November 2009 

On 10 November 1939, Yihya Abdul Salam Habash has born in Beit Dajan, Jaffa. 

In 1958, Habash obtained the Egyptian Tawjihi Certificate from the An Najah National School in Nablus. In 1962, he obtained a B.A. in chemistry and geology from the ‘Ein Shams University in Cairo. 

Habash joined the Fatah movement in 1962. 

Having been employed in Jordan, Habash travelled to the USA and obtained a B.A. in geology engineering and an M.A. in hydrogeology from the Arizona University in 1967. Later, he returned to Jordan, where he worked at the Natural Resources Authority. Meantime, Habash maintained his activity in the Fatah organisation. 

Habash participated in the Al Karamah Battle of 1969. He also carried out several assignments for Fatah in Jordan. During the 1971 Fatah 3rd Conference in Damascus, Habash was elected member on the Fatah Revolutionary Council. 

Habash occupied a number of leading positions in the Palestinian Revolution in Lebanon. During the 1980 Fatah 4th Conference in Damascus, he was re-elected as member on the Fatah Revolutionary Council and appointed Secretary General of the Council.

Habash took part in the resistance activity against the Israeli invasion of Lebanon in 1982. 

He was appointed Ambassador Extraordinary in the Soviet Union in 1984-85. 

In the 1989 Fatah 5th Conference in Tunis, Habash was elected member on the Fatah Central Committee. He was assigned as Commissioner of Intellectual Affairs and Studies. 

In 1994, Habash returned to his homeland and maintained his national activity and leading role in Fatah. He also established several institutions, including the Thought and Dialogue Forum, Dar al Karamah, Future Academy for Creative Thinking, Al Istiqlal TV station, Al Intifada and Rasif newspapers, Afaq journal, and the Al Kawader School. 

Despite the fact that he sustained a bleeding in the brain in 2006, Habash supervised national celebrations of the 1st anniversary of the martyrdom of the late Leader Yasser Arafat. 

Over the years of his struggle, Habash was a member on the PLO Central Council and National Council. 

In the Fatah 6th Conference, held in the city of Bethlehem in 2009, Habash decided to resign and to not nominate himself for membership on the PLO Central Committee. 

Habash published several poetry books as well as political and organisational studies. 

He passed away on 1 November 2009.