The Yasser Arafat Foundation commemorated the birthday of the great national leader Abu Yusuf Al-Najjar on Wednesday, May 21, 2025, at Al-Muntada hall of the Yasser Arafat Museum.
The event began with the Palestinian national anthem, followed by a moment of silence and reciting of Al-Fatiha for the souls of the late President Yasser Arafat, the late fighter Abu Yusuf, and all the martyrs of Palestine.
Dr. Ahmed Soboh, Chairman of the Yasser Arafat Foundation, welcomed the attendees, saying: "Today, we commemorate the birth of Mohammed Yusuf Al-Najjar (Abu Yusuf) in a special seminar as part of the 'In National Memory Comrades of the Path' program, where we shed light on the symbols and leaders among the founders and companions of the late President Yasser Arafat."
He continued, "From Al-Muntada hall, near the tomb of the founding president and his final trench, the
Foundation commemorates one of the most important figures of the revolution and the Palestinian cause, the founder Abu Yusuf Al-Najjar, a Palestinian displaced from the village of Yibna in the Ramla district to the Rafah refugee camp in Gaza."
Dr. Soboh took a moment to reflect on the 593 days of genocide that our people in Gaza have endured, as well as the ongoing settler colonial aggression aimed at ending the Palestinian cause and imposing occupation and settlement. He emphasized the importance of steadfastness and unity in confronting this brutal aggression. He said, "When we talk about Abu Yusuf, we talk about a life filled with many events, even though he was martyred before reaching the age of 42."
Dr. Soboh noted that the Foundation follows a specific system for commemorating the companions of the path, including printing biographies, holding photo exhibitions, and producing documentaries
about their lives and paths. However, in the case of Abu Yusuf Al-Najjar, there was no complete material available about him, explaining that in the early 1970s, there was no acceptable archive to
prepare a film or photo exhibition about him.
He stressed that the Yasser Arafat Foundation had made the decision to commemorate the early martyrs, despite the scarcity of visual materials, in order to preserve them from being forgotten, especially with the emergence of a new generation that does not know the early martyrs.
Dr. Soboh continued, "The late Abu Yusuf was from the displaced village of Yibna, one of the largest villages occupied in 1948. He studied in its schools during the early years and completed his education in the schools of Jaffa city. He later returned to teach at the schools of his village."
He then reviewed Abu Yusuf's life as a founding leader and the first commander of the Al-Asifa forces, a member of the Executive Committee of the PLO with Abu Ammar in 1969, responsible for Palestinian affairs in Lebanon, head of the political department of the PLO, and responsible for the security and intelligence apparatus of Fatah.
Dr. Soboh also spoke about the role of the late Umm Yusuf, who was martyred while defending her husband during his assassination. He also prayed for the souls of Kamal Adwan and Kamal Nasser, who were martyred in the assassination operation in Verdun on April 10, 1973.
On behalf of the family of martyr Mohammed Yusuf Al-Najjar and martyr Rasmiya Abu Al-Khair, the eldest daughter, Mrs. Hikmat Al-Najjar, delivered a speech. She said: "Our revolutionary son started at a young age, even before he reached ten. He used to sit with the men of our village, Yibna in the Ramla district, and listen to them talk about the actions of the Jewish gangs. This is when the revolutionary spirit began to form in him, and at the age of fifteen, he started participating with the revolutionaries in confronting the Jewish and British colonizers."
She added that her father's journey began as a fighter and ended as a martyr on the path to freedom. She mentioned that in the last three years of his life, he felt that something was being plotted against the Palestinian revolution, and that his assassination precursor to the escalation of the situation in Lebanon.
Mrs. Hikmat continued: "I once heard him tell my mother that he wished to die on the land of Palestine, which was stolen in 1948." However, the treacherous bullets made him a martyr in the Lebanese capital, Beirut.
She recalled some of her father's qualities, saying: "There is no end to talking about the fighter, but as a father, he had a special place in our hearts. Despite being known for his strictness, he was also very tender and caring, especially towards his small family. He gave us a lot of warmth and balanced between firmness and gentleness."
She also spoke about his role as a husband, mentioning how her mother stood between him and the bullets of treachery, not hesitating for a moment to protect him, and falling to the ground before him, rushing to paradise before him. This, she said, was proof of their great love.
She recalled what her grandmother had said about her father: "Mohammed asked for martyrdom a few days before his martyrdom."
In conclusion, she said: "May Allah have mercy on the one who lit our path, drew the map of our homeland, and worked with every lover of Palestine. He stood firm against all who attacked our people, especially in the camps of steadfastness." She affirmed that she would remain faithful to the legacy of her parents, despite the long and difficult road, as losing one’s identity is the hardest thing.
