Today, Sunday, 30 August 2026, the Yasser Arafat Museum hosted the launch event for the 11th issue of “Fikr,” a peer-reviewed periodical published by the International Academic Campaign Against Israeli Occupation and Apartheid. Marking the campaign's sixth year, this 2026 issue is titled “The Sharm El-Sheikh Agreement 2025,” and its launch was attended by an array of dignitaries, writers, and researchers.
Dr. Ahmad Soboh, Chairman of the Yasser Arafat Foundation's Board, noted that hosting this launch at the Al-Muntada Hall, near the final resting place and headquarters of the late leader Yasser Arafat, is highly symbolic. He stated that the issue brings together outstanding contributions from scholars who shed light on the “Sharm El-Sheikh Agreement 2025” and the devastating conditions resulting from the genocidal war in the Gaza Strip. Soboh added that while there is no absolute satisfaction with the agreement, it was an indispensable step to halt the genocide, mass killings, and destruction in Gaza. He praised the firm stances of brotherly nations, notably Egypt and Jordan, in rejecting the forced displacement of Palestinians, and urged the Palestinian public and leadership bodies to remain in a state of emergency to confront institutionalized settler violence, noting that Israeli settlers and the army operate in tandem to ethnically cleanse and kill Palestinians. He concluded by stressing the necessity of geographical unity and a singular Palestinian political decision.
Maher Abu Rida, Assistant Undersecretary at the Palestinian Ministry of Culture, remarked that launching this issue from a museum that encapsulates the persona of Yasser Arafat and guards the history of an entire nation serves as a proclamation of the Palestinian intellectual voice. It is a voice that insists on protecting the national narrative and defending Gaza and Jerusalem.
Abu Rida emphasized that the rigorous research contained in the issue directly combats fraudulent Israeli claims, noting that the campaign recognizes that the conflict is fundamentally a war over historical narratives and collective memory. Concluding the launch, Dr. Ramzi Owdeh, head of the International Academic Campaign, extended his gratitude to the contributing researchers and the Yasser Arafat Foundation, while saluting the steadfast people of the Gaza Strip. Owdeh affirmed that this publication is part of the campaign’s ongoing academic mission to generate and disseminate knowledge, analyze evolving political and humanitarian dynamics, and bolster the presence of the Palestinian narrative within global academic and intellectual circles.
