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Leila Khaled

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Leila Khaled
ليلى خالد‎
Khaled at the Beirut International Forum for Resistance, Anti-Imperialism, Solidarity between Peoples, and Alternatives, 2009
Born(1944-04-09)April 9, 1944(age 80)
Haifa,Mandatory Palestine
OrganizationPopular Front for the Liberation of Palestine
Known forPro-Palestinian militancy
MovementArab Nationalist Movement

Leila Khaled(Arabic:ليلى خالد,Arabic pronunciation:[ˈlajlaˈxaːled]born April 9, 1944) is a former Palestinian militant and member of thePopular Front for the Liberation of Palestine(PFLP). She is famous as the first woman to hijack an airplane.[1].

Khaled gained her prominence for her role in theTWA Flight 840 hijackingin 1969 and one of the four simultaneousDawson's Field hijackingsthe following year as part of the campaign ofBlack September in Jordan.[2]After being imprisoned, she was released in a prisoner exchange for civilian hostages kidnapped by other PFLP members.[3]

Early life

Khaled was born on April 9, 1944 inHaifa,Mandatory Palestine,toArabparents.[4]Her family fled toLebanonon April 13, 1948, as part of the1948 Palestinian expulsion and flight,[4]leaving her father behind. At the age of 15, following in the footsteps of her brother, she joined the pan-Arab[5]Arab Nationalist Movement,originally established in the late-1940s byGeorge Habash,then a medical student at theAmerican University of Beirut.[6]The Palestinian branch of this movement became thePopular Front for the Liberation of Palestineafter the 1967Six-Day War.

Khaled spent some time teaching inKuwaitand, in her autobiography, recounted crying the day she heard thatJohn F. Kennedyhad been assassinated.[7]

The hijackings

Khaled in Damascus after her release from the United Kingdom in 1970

TWA Flight 840 (1969)

On August 29, 1969, Khaled was part of a team that hijackedTWA Flight 840on its way fromRometoTel Aviv,diverting theBoeing 707toDamascus.According to some media sources,[3]the PFLP leadership thought thatYitzhak Rabin,then Israeli ambassador to the United States, would be on board; he was not. She claims she ordered the pilot to fly over Haifa, so she could see her birthplace.[8]No one was injured, but after the passengers disembarked, the hijackers blew up the nose section of the aircraft. After this hijacking, and a photograph of her (taken byEddie Adams) holding anAK-47rifle and wearing akaffiyehwas reproduced in many publications, she underwent six plastic surgery operations on her nose and chin to conceal her identity and allow her to take part in a future hijacking, and because she did not want to wear the face of an icon.[9][8]

El Al Flight 219 (1970)

On September 6, 1970, Khaled andPatrick Argüello,aNicaraguan–American, attempted to hijackEl AlFlight 219 fromAmsterdamto New York City as part of theDawson's Field hijackings,a series of almost simultaneous hijackings carried out by the PFLP. Khaled and Argüello threatened to detonate grenades if they were not granted access to the cockpit. The pilots refused to comply, and instead put the plane into a nosedive. Though sources differ on the chronology of these events, in the resulting scuffle someone hit Argüello in the head with a bottle of whiskey; Argüello shot and injured a crew member and reportedly threw a grenade which did not explode towards the passengers; and sky marshals shot Argüello multiple times, mortally wounding him. The pilot diverted the aircraft to Heathrow Airport in London. An ambulance took the injured crew member and Argüello to the hospital. The crewmember survived while Argüello died in the ambulance. Khaled was arrested though later released during a hostage exchange.[10][8][11]

Later life

Khaled in Sweden in 2011

Khaled has stated in interviews that she developed a fondness for the United Kingdom when her first visitor in jail, an immigration officer, wanted to know why she had arrived in the country without a valid visa. She also developed a relationship with the two policewomen assigned to guard her in Ealing and later corresponded with them. Khaled continued to return to the UK for speaking engagements until as late as 2002, although she was refused a visa by the British embassy in 2005 to address a meeting at theFéile an PhobailinBelfast,where she was invited as a speaker. Eventually she managed to speak to people at the Belfast Féile through a video link.[12]

According to Khaled, there is not an Arab-Israelipeace process.She stated "it's a political process where the balance of forces is for the Israelis and not for us. They have all the cards to play with and the Palestinians have nothing to depend on, especially when the PLO is not united."[6]Khaled also supports the Kurdish political movement surrounding thePeoples' Democratic Party(HDP) and drew attention to the similar fate of the Palestinian and theKurdishpeople.[13][14]She has become involved in politics, becoming a member of thePalestinian National Counciland appearing regularly at theWorld Social Forum.[15][16][17][18]

She is married to physicianFayez Rashid,and lives with their two sons Bader and Bashar inAmman,Jordan.[19]She is irreligious.[4]

She was the subject of a film entitledLeila Khaled, Hijacker,[20]directed by Palestinian filmmaker Lina Makboul. It premiered in November 2005 at theInternational Documentary Film Festival in Amsterdam.[21]

In November 2017, Khaled was refused entry toRome,Italy at theLeonardo da Vinci–Fiumicino Airport,and was forced to return to Amman as she is a member of a group considered a terrorist organization by the Italian government.[22]

In mid September 2020, Khaled was scheduled to speak at a virtualZoomconference atSan Francisco State Universityhosted byRabab Abdulhadiand Tomomi Kinukawa. Following lobbying by the Jewish coalition group "End Jewish Hatred,"Zoom Video Communicationsalong with YouTube and Facebook, prevented the conference from using their video conferencing software and platforms, citing compliance with U.S. export control, sanctions, and anti-terrorism laws.[23][24][25]

In popular culture

Khaled graffiti on theIsraeli West Bank barriernearBethlehem
  • She was the subject of an artwork portrait made entirely out of lipsticks, "The Icon", created by artist Amer Shomali using 14 colors, and 3,500 lipsticks.
  • The songLike Leila Khaled SaidfromThe Teardrop Explodes' 1981 albumWilderis a love song to Khaled. SongwriterJulian Copesaid it was a love song to her "cos I thought she was so beautiful. But I know that the whole thing was like bad news."[26]
  • The second CD of Julian Cope's 2012 albumPsychedelic Revolutionis named "Phase of Leila Khaled" while the first CD is named "Phase of Che Guevara". The album's lyrics contain several references to political demonstrations, terrorism and suicide bombers. The accompanying booklet also contains a photo of Leila Khaled.
  • As of 2018, she is commemorated in a mural at the International Wall on theFalls Road, Belfast,Northern Ireland.The mural is based upon the photograph of her by Eddie Adams, holding anAK-47and with the Palestine flag behind her. Her image along with an image of Irish Republican, Oglach Charlie Hughes says "Our Struggle continues".
  • The name of Sandton Drive inJohannesburg,South Africa was controversially changed toLeila Khaled Driveby vote of the city council on November 29, 2018.[27]The American consulate in Johannesburg is located on the street.[28]
    Image of Leila Khaled on International Wall in the Falls Road neighborhood, West Belfast, Northern Ireland
  • The 10th song of the albumFriværdi,released on September 26, 2005, by the Danish rock bandMagtens Korridorer,is entitled "Leila Khaled".[29]
  • WriterChris Boucherhas said that he named the character of savage warriorLeelafromDoctor Whoafter Khaled.[30]
  • Khaled is mentioned byFun-da-mentalin "Mother India", on theLove IndiaCD (2010) widely distributed in the United States byStarbucks.[31]
  • The albumOlive no Ki no Shita de,released in 2007 by the Japanese rock singer Panta, features a song entitled "Leila's Ballade". This song's lyrics were written by formerJapanese Red ArmymemberFusako Shigenobuand her daughterMei Shigenobu.[32]In 2012, Khaled was invited to a ceremony for the 40th anniversary of theLod Airport massacreby a Japanese far-left group inKyoto,[33]at which Panta performed the song in front of Khaled.[34]
  • Leila Khaled: Hijackeris a 2006 documentary about Leila Khaled by Swedish-Palestinian filmmaker Lina Makboul.[35]

References

  1. ^Ettachfini, Leila (August 4, 2016)."'I Had to Be the Voice of Women': The First Female Hijacker Shares Her Story ".VICE.Archivedfrom the original on September 28, 2020.RetrievedSeptember 20,2020.
  2. ^"Notorious Palestinian Plane Hijacker to Promote BDS in South Africa".January 7, 2015.Archivedfrom the original on February 17, 2016.RetrievedJune 27,2024.
  3. ^abMacDonald, Eileen (1991). "Leila Khaled".Shoot the Women First.New York:Random House.ISBN0-679-41596-3.
  4. ^abcSchmitt, Paula (May 17, 2014)."Interview with Leila Khaled: 'BDS is effective, but it doesn't liberate land'".+972 magazine.Archivedfrom the original on March 12, 2016.RetrievedJune 27,2024.
  5. ^Jansen, Michel (February 4, 2008)."Palestinian patriot".The Jordan Times.Archived fromthe originalon June 17, 2011.RetrievedOctober 29,2015.
  6. ^abBaum, Philip (September 5, 2000)."Leila Khaled: in her own words".Aviation Security International.Archived fromthe originalon August 27, 2008.
  7. ^Khaled, Leila (1973).My People Shall Live.London: Hodder & Stoughton.ISBN0-340-17380-7.Archivedfrom the original on August 18, 2006.RetrievedJuly 13,2006.
  8. ^abcViner, Katharine (January 25, 2001)."I made the ring from a bullet and the pin of a hand grenade".The Guardian.London.Archivedfrom the original on November 28, 2020.RetrievedJune 27,2024.
  9. ^Moon, Timur (October 17, 2002)."Leila Khaled — hijacked by destiny".Al Jazeera.Archived fromthe originalon August 20, 2004.
  10. ^"ASN Aircraft accident Boeing 707-458 4X-ATB London-Heathrow Airport (LHR)".Aviation Safety Network.RetrievedJune 27,2024.
  11. ^"Flight crews and security".Hijacked!.PBS.Archivedfrom the original on March 4, 2016.RetrievedJune 27,2024.
  12. ^"A just solution is the way out of conflict - Leila Khaled".An Phoblacht.August 11, 2005.RetrievedJune 27,2024.
  13. ^"Iconic liberation activist at HDP congress: Long live Palestine, long live Kurdistan!".Duvar English.February 24, 2020.Archivedfrom the original on June 8, 2020.RetrievedJune 8,2020.
  14. ^"Leila Khaled visited HDP MPs on hunger strike in Amed".ANF News.April 15, 2019.Archivedfrom the original on June 8, 2020.RetrievedJune 8,2020.
  15. ^"Past IPSC Events".Archived fromthe originalon September 11, 2012.
  16. ^Prabhala, Achal (June 2009)."The activistocracy".Infochangeindia.org. Archived from the original on February 28, 2010.RetrievedOctober 29,2015.{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  17. ^"Press Conferences on the 28th of January".World Social Forum.January 20, 2005. Archived fromthe originalon June 9, 2007.RetrievedOctober 29,2015.
  18. ^"Palestine on the table at World Social Forum in Kenya".Palestine News Network.January 24, 2007. Archived fromthe originalon July 18, 2011.RetrievedOctober 29,2015.
  19. ^Abdallah, Sana (July 21, 2003)."Interview: Palestinian Leila Khaled".United Press International.Archived fromthe originalon September 3, 2006.RetrievedSeptember 3,2006.
  20. ^Murphy, Maureen Clare (April 9, 2007)."Violence or nonviolence? Two documentaries reviewed".Electronic Intifada.Archivedfrom the original on September 11, 2007.RetrievedJune 27,2024.
  21. ^"Hijacker".Leila Khaled.Archivedfrom the original on January 15, 2016.RetrievedJune 27,2024.
  22. ^"Leila Khaled respinta a Fiumicino".Il Giornarle D'Italia(in Italian). November 29, 2017. Archived fromthe originalon November 29, 2017.RetrievedSeptember 28,2020.
  23. ^Flaherty, Colleen (September 27, 2020)."Zoom Draws a Line".Inside Higher Ed.Archivedfrom the original on September 27, 2020.RetrievedJune 27,2024.
  24. ^Greschler, Gabriel (September 22, 2020)."Zoom will not host S.F. State event featuring Leila Khaled".J. The Jewish News of Northern California.Archivedfrom the original on September 25, 2020.RetrievedSeptember 28,2020.
  25. ^Osman, Nadda (September 24, 2020)."Zoom criticised for cancelling webinar with Palestinian activist Leila Khaled".Middle East Eye.Archivedfrom the original on September 26, 2020.RetrievedSeptember 28,2020.
  26. ^"Wilder – The Teardrop Explodes".Archived fromthe originalon July 16, 2004.
  27. ^Mabotja, Kgopi (December 1, 2018)."Fight over renaming of Sandton Drive after Palestinian Leila Khaled".Independent Online.South Africa.Archivedfrom the original on December 9, 2018.RetrievedJune 27,2024.
  28. ^Sackstein, Howard (December 6, 2018)."The American Consulate at 1 Leila Khaled Drive?".Politicsweb.Archivedfrom the original on December 9, 2018.RetrievedJune 27,2024.
  29. ^"Magtens Korridorer – Leila Khaled Lyrics".Genius.RetrievedJune 27,2024.
  30. ^Commentary track (07m09s) on original DVD release (2000) ofDoctor Who'sThe Robots of Death
  31. ^Tony Mitchell (2001).Global Noise: Rap and Hip Hop Outside the USA.Wesleyan University Press. p.60.ISBN9780819565020.RetrievedOctober 29,2015.leila khaled fun -da-mental.
  32. ^"ライラ の バラード ( anh 訳 thơ lãng đọc ) ／PANTA- vang – kỳ kỳ"[Lyra's Ballad (English translation poetry reading) / PANTA-Hibiki-Flag] (in Japanese). Bund.jp. Archived fromthe originalon August 11, 2014.RetrievedAugust 1,2014.
  33. ^"( minh đại ) vùng Trung Đông フォーラム2012―アラブ dân chúng nổi dậy như ong とパレスチナ giải phóng 【ライラ・ハリドさん ngày sau 】 – kỳ kỳ"[(Meidai) Middle East Forum 2012-Arab People's Uprising and Palestine Liberation [Leila Khaled Visits Japan] – Flag Flag] (in Japanese). Bund.jp. Archived fromthe originalon August 11, 2014.RetrievedAugust 1,2014.
  34. ^"リッダ đấu tranh 40 đầy năm ライラハリドさん ngày sau パレスチナ liền mang kinh đô WeekEnd 23 – kỳ kỳ"[40th Anniversary of the Ridda Struggle Laila Khalid Visits Japan Palestinian Solidarity Kyoto WeekEnd 23 --Flag Flag] (in Japanese). Archived fromthe originalon April 13, 2013.RetrievedMarch 11,2013.
  35. ^Makboul, Lina (January 28, 2006),Leila Khaled: Hijacker(Documentary), Uri Bar Lev, Moshe Dayan, Shadia Abu Ghazali, Margareta Johnson, First Hand Films, Sveriges Television (SVT), Tussilago,archivedfrom the original on October 18, 2020,retrievedFebruary 21,2021

Sources

Further reading

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