Bios

Palestinian Jerusalemites have made myriad and diverse contributions to their city’s history and community fabric. Here we profile some of those people—past and present; famous and obscure—whose lives and work and stories have helped shape the larger Jerusalem Story over time.
Mahmoud Shukair

A prolific novelist who was exiled from Jerusalem for almost two decades, yet says “Jerusalem is a part of me and I am part of Jerusalem.”

Zahiya Nashashibi

A Jerusalemite who helped to found one of the oldest women’s movements in Palestine in 1929, and remained in a leadership role in it until her death

Find alphabetically by first letter of last name

Hussein al-Khalidi

A physician and politician from Jerusalem who played a central role in the Palestinian nationalist movement and left a copious record of it all.

Yusuf Diya’ al-Khalidi

A prominent Ottoman politician who served as mayor of Jerusalem and Jerusalem representative and was a prolific writer, talented linguist, and scholar

Anwar al-Khatib al-Tamimi

A lifelong public servant who served as mayor and governor of Jerusalem, and held the latter post when East Jerusalem was occupied in 1967

Ruhi al-Khatib

Jerusalemite who dedicated his life to public service and strengthening the city, including as mayor 1957–67; popularly known as the “Amin of Jerusalem”