Ahmed Majdalani

Ahmed Majdalani (Arabic: أحمد مجدلاني) (born 1956) is a Palestinian politician, university professor and researcher. A former Palestinian government minister, he currently serves as Secretary-General of the Palestinian Popular Struggle Front (PPSF) and is a senior member of the PLO Executive Committee which is considered the highest political level in Palestine

Ahmed Majdalani أحمد مجدلاني
Ahmed Majdalani, 19 June 2021
Personal details
Born	1956 (age 66–67) Damascus, Syria
Nationality	Palestinian
Occupation	Secretary-General of Palestinian Popular Struggle Front (2009–present) Minister Without Portfolio (2005–2006) Minister of Labor (2009–2011)

Early life

Majdalani was born to Palestinian parents in Damascus, Syria in 1956. He enrolled in the Social Sciences Academy in Sofia, Bulgaria, where he graduated with a PhD in political economics.^[1]

Political career

Majdalani is a member of the Palestinian National Council and the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO).^[2] In 1998, he served as the Director-General of Arab and International Relations for the Palestinian National Authority.^[3]

On 12 August 2009, following the death of Samir Ghawshah five days prior, Majdalani became Secretary-General of the Palestinian Popular Struggle Front (PPSF) after being elected by his party colleagues. Afterward, he stated that his goals were to strengthen Palestinian democratic institutions and encourage elections that would end the strife between Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, and Fatah, the dominant Palestinian faction in the West Bank.^[4]

Palestinian minister

Majdalani was appointed the government post of Minister of State in the 9th Palestinian government from February 2005 to March 2006, where his primary task was dealing with issues regarding the West Bank barrier.^[1]

Most recently, he served as the Minister of Labor for the West Bank-based Palestinian Authority. He was appointed the post by Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president, on 19 May 2009.^[1]

On 13 April 2019, he was appointed Minister of Social Development in State of Palestine Government of April 2019.^[5]

Academic career

Majdalani is a professor of philosophy and cultural studies for Birzeit University located north of Ramallah. He has authored three research studies: The Serious Threats Facing the Palestinian National Project (2007), The Arab Peace Initiative: An Option or Strategy for Peacemaking? (2007), and A Unilateral Declaration of Independence (2008).^[6]

References

1. Ahmed Majdalani Profile. Jerusalem Media and Communications Center (JMCC). 2010-01-23. Retrieved on 2012-01-23.
2. Who are the members of the new Palestinian government? 2013-07-09 at the Wayback Machine Ma'an News Agency. 2009-05-19. Retrieved on 2012-01-23.
3. Report of the Director-General: appendix. International Labor Organization, 1998. p. 2.
4. PPSF elects new Secretary General replacing deceased former leader 2013-05-27 at the Wayback Machine. Ma'an News Agency. 2009-08-12. Retrieved on 2012-01-23.
5. "حكومة أشتية تؤدي اليمين الدستورية". الشرق الأوسط (in Arabic). Retrieved 2020-11-01.
6. Ahmad Majdalani. Palestine-Israel Journal of Politics, Economics and Culture.