Maxim Ghilan
Encyclopedia
Maxim Ghilan was the director of the International Jewish Peace Union, the first Jewish organization to recognize the Palestine Liberation Organization
(PLO) as a partner in dialogue. He was the co-founder, in 1971, of the periodical Israel and Palestine Political Report.
in 1931, but grew up in Spain
. He moved with his mother to Mandatory Palestine in 1944, after his father had been abducted by the fascist
movement of Francisco Franco
and was never seen again. As a young man, he joined Lehi
, also known as the Stern Gang, and participated in the struggle to free Palestine from British rule. Following the establishment of Israel, Ghilan was imprisoned by the government of David Ben-Gurion
. While incarcerated, he witnessed Arab prisoners being tortured and upon his release became active on behalf of Arab rights.
In 1966 Bul, a tabloid which employed Ghilan as its deputy editor, published a story accusing the Mossad
of involvement in the 1965 disappearance of Morrocan dissident Mehdi Ben Barka
. Ghilan and his editor were charged with espionage and imprisoned for 135 days.
. He later became a personal friend of Yasser Arafat
. Ghilan moved to Paris
in 1969 and returned to Israel
after the signing of the Oslo Accords
in 1993.
Maxim Ghilan was known as an activist, journalist, writer, and poet. He died suddenly in his Tel Aviv home, in Jean Jaurès str., on 2 April 2005.
Palestine Liberation Organization
The Palestine Liberation Organization is a political and paramilitary organization which was created in 1964. It is recognized as the "sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people" by the United Nations and over 100 states with which it holds diplomatic relations, and has enjoyed...
(PLO) as a partner in dialogue. He was the co-founder, in 1971, of the periodical Israel and Palestine Political Report.
Early life
Ghilan was born in FranceFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in 1931, but grew up in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. He moved with his mother to Mandatory Palestine in 1944, after his father had been abducted by the fascist
Fascism
Fascism is a radical authoritarian nationalist political ideology. Fascists seek to rejuvenate their nation based on commitment to the national community as an organic entity, in which individuals are bound together in national identity by suprapersonal connections of ancestry, culture, and blood...
movement of Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco y Bahamonde was a Spanish general, dictator and head of state of Spain from October 1936 , and de facto regent of the nominally restored Kingdom of Spain from 1947 until his death in November, 1975...
and was never seen again. As a young man, he joined Lehi
Lehi (group)
Lehi , commonly referred to in English as the Stern Group or Stern Gang, was a militant Zionist group founded by Avraham Stern in the British Mandate of Palestine...
, also known as the Stern Gang, and participated in the struggle to free Palestine from British rule. Following the establishment of Israel, Ghilan was imprisoned by the government of David Ben-Gurion
David Ben-Gurion
' was the first Prime Minister of Israel.Ben-Gurion's passion for Zionism, which began early in life, led him to become a major Zionist leader and Executive Head of the World Zionist Organization in 1946...
. While incarcerated, he witnessed Arab prisoners being tortured and upon his release became active on behalf of Arab rights.
In 1966 Bul, a tabloid which employed Ghilan as its deputy editor, published a story accusing the Mossad
Mossad
The Mossad , short for HaMossad leModi'in uleTafkidim Meyuchadim , is the national intelligence agency of Israel....
of involvement in the 1965 disappearance of Morrocan dissident Mehdi Ben Barka
Mehdi Ben Barka
Mehdi Ben Barka was a Moroccan politician, head of the left-wing National Union of Popular Forces and secretary of the Tricontinental Conference...
. Ghilan and his editor were charged with espionage and imprisoned for 135 days.
Peace Actions
In the early 1970s, Ghilan became one of the first non-Communist Israelis to meet with representatives of the PLOPalestine Liberation Organization
The Palestine Liberation Organization is a political and paramilitary organization which was created in 1964. It is recognized as the "sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people" by the United Nations and over 100 states with which it holds diplomatic relations, and has enjoyed...
. He later became a personal friend of Yasser Arafat
Yasser Arafat
Mohammed Yasser Abdel Rahman Abdel Raouf Arafat al-Qudwa al-Husseini , popularly known as Yasser Arafat or by his kunya Abu Ammar , was a Palestinian leader and a Laureate of the Nobel Prize. He was Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization , President of the Palestinian National Authority...
. Ghilan moved to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
in 1969 and returned to Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
after the signing of the Oslo Accords
Oslo Accords
The Oslo Accords, officially called the Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements or Declaration of Principles , was an attempt to resolve the ongoing Palestinian-Israeli conflict...
in 1993.
Maxim Ghilan was known as an activist, journalist, writer, and poet. He died suddenly in his Tel Aviv home, in Jean Jaurès str., on 2 April 2005.
External links
- Exile is his country By Yossi Klein, 31 July 2003, in HaaretzHaaretzHaaretz is Israel's oldest daily newspaper. It was founded in 1918 and is now published in both Hebrew and English in Berliner format. The English edition is published and sold together with the International Herald Tribune. Both Hebrew and English editions can be read on the Internet...