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.
Fatima Budeiri

An Arabic-language teacher and media personality who became the first Palestinian woman to work as a radio broadcaster

Tawfiq Canaan

An epidemiologist, ethnographer, and institution builder who made foundational contributions to medicine and health care in Jerusalem and Palestine

Georgette Rizek

An activist who lived through the Nakba and founded and directed the Infant Welfare Center, the first medical center in the Old City of Jerusalem

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”