Abdullah Nimar Darwish
Encyclopedia
Sheikh
Abdullah Nimar Darwish (Arabic: عبد الله نمر درويش), born 1948 in Kafr Qasim
, is the founder of the Islamic Movement in Israel
.
After completing his religious studies in Nablus
, he returned to Kafr Qasim and began advocating a return to Islam
and Islamic tradition, and subsequently established The Islamic Movement in Israel in 1971.
In 1979, Darwish established an underground organization called Usrat al-Jihad ("The Family of Jihad"), whose goal was to establish "an Arab Islamic state in Palestine." Two years later, he was arrested together with several accomplices, and convicted of membership in a terrorist organization. He remained in prison until 1985, when he was freed as part of the Jibril Agreement
between the government of Israel and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine - General Command
. Following his release, Darwish became publicly active and began to express opposition to Israeli Arabs taking part in violent behavior. In 1992, he explicitly condemned the killing of three Israeli soldiers by an Israeli Arab group.
Today, he remains the spiritual leader of the Southern branch of the Islamic Movement in Israel and serves as the chairman of an organization which arranges for interfaith dialogue between Muslims, Jews and Christians. He has expressed a commitment to the rule of law
, and to integration into the State of Israel and its institutions. In a 2001 newspaper interview, he said:
Following the death of his brother in 2005, Darwish made a religious ruling allowing Muslims to donate organs
for medical purposes.
Sheikh
Not to be confused with sikhSheikh — also spelled Sheik or Shaikh, or transliterated as Shaykh — is an honorific in the Arabic language that literally means "elder" and carries the meaning "leader and/or governor"...
Abdullah Nimar Darwish (Arabic: عبد الله نمر درويش), born 1948 in Kafr Qasim
Kafr Qasim
Kafr Qasim , is a hill-top Israeli Arab city located about twenty kilometers east of Tel Aviv, near the Green Line separating Israel and the West Bank, on the southern portion of the "Little Triangle" of Arab-Israeli towns and villages. The town became notorious for the Kafr Qasim massacre, in...
, is the founder of the Islamic Movement in Israel
Islamic Movement in Israel
The Islamic Movement in Israel is a movement that aims to advocate Islam among Israeli Arabs. It operates on three levels: religious , social and anti-Zionist...
.
After completing his religious studies in Nablus
Nablus
Nablus is a Palestinian city in the northern West Bank, approximately north of Jerusalem, with a population of 126,132. Located in a strategic position between Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim, it is the capital of the Nablus Governorate and a Palestinian commercial and cultural center.Founded by the...
, he returned to Kafr Qasim and began advocating a return to Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
and Islamic tradition, and subsequently established The Islamic Movement in Israel in 1971.
In 1979, Darwish established an underground organization called Usrat al-Jihad ("The Family of Jihad"), whose goal was to establish "an Arab Islamic state in Palestine." Two years later, he was arrested together with several accomplices, and convicted of membership in a terrorist organization. He remained in prison until 1985, when he was freed as part of the Jibril Agreement
Jibril Agreement
The Jibril Agreement was a prisoner exchange deal which took place on May 21, 1985 between the Israeli government, headed by Shimon Peres, and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine - General Command...
between the government of Israel and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine - General Command
Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine - General Command
The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine – General Command is a Palestinian nationalist organization, backed by Syria and Iran...
. Following his release, Darwish became publicly active and began to express opposition to Israeli Arabs taking part in violent behavior. In 1992, he explicitly condemned the killing of three Israeli soldiers by an Israeli Arab group.
Today, he remains the spiritual leader of the Southern branch of the Islamic Movement in Israel and serves as the chairman of an organization which arranges for interfaith dialogue between Muslims, Jews and Christians. He has expressed a commitment to the rule of law
Rule of law
The rule of law, sometimes called supremacy of law, is a legal maxim that says that governmental decisions should be made by applying known principles or laws with minimal discretion in their application...
, and to integration into the State of Israel and its institutions. In a 2001 newspaper interview, he said:
Whoever establishes a movement that is based on violation of the law, does not represent us. However, in the West BankWest BankThe West Bank ) of the Jordan River is the landlocked geographical eastern part of the Palestinian territories located in Western Asia. To the west, north, and south, the West Bank shares borders with the state of Israel. To the east, across the Jordan River, lies the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan...
and GazaGazaGaza , also referred to as Gaza City, is a Palestinian city in the Gaza Strip, with a population of about 450,000, making it the largest city in the Palestinian territories.Inhabited since at least the 15th century BC,...
there is no rule of law, there is an occupation which must be eliminated, and not a state which must be respected. Therefore, I understand the Palestinians or the Lebanese, which are rising up in any way they can... If I were being occupied, I too would rise up, but the moment I decided that I am a part of the state as long as I am within the borders of the Green LineGreen Line (Israel)Green Line refers to the demarcation lines set out in the 1949 Armistice Agreements between Israel and its neighbours after the 1948 Arab-Israeli War...
, I obey the law, together with my representatives in the KnessetKnessetThe Knesset is the unicameral legislature of Israel, located in Givat Ram, Jerusalem.-Role in Israeli Government :The legislative branch of the Israeli government, the Knesset passes all laws, elects the President and Prime Minister , approves the cabinet, and supervises the work of the government...
, and this is proof that I do recognize the State of Israel. This despite the fact that I too feel as though I am under mental occupation, but the world does not see that.
Following the death of his brother in 2005, Darwish made a religious ruling allowing Muslims to donate organs
Organ donation
Organ donation is the donation of biological tissue or an organ of the human body, from a living or dead person to a living recipient in need of a transplantation. Transplantable organs and tissues are removed in a surgical procedure following a determination, based on the donor's medical and...
for medical purposes.