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Published: april 23, 2010; Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center.

The Palestinian Authority named a street in Ramallah after Khalil al-Wazir.

On April 20, a street in Ramallah was named after Khalil al-Wazir (Abu Jihad), the former leader of the Fatah military wing. The ceremony was attended by Abu Mazen’s representative, Al-Tayyib Abd al-Rahim; Abd al-Rahim Mallouh, member of the PLO executive committee; Khalil al-Wazir’s wife, Intisar al-Wazir; and the mayor of Ramallah, Janet Mikhail.

The Palestinian terrorist Khalil al-Wazir (Abu Jihad)

Al-Tayyib Abd al-Rahim said that Abu Mazen honored him by representing him during the street naming ceremony, and that Khalil al-Wazir was the companion of both Abu Mazen and Yasser Arafat. Abd al-Rahim praised Khalil al-Wazir and described him as one of the first to carry out acts of “resistance” against Israeli since 1965, together with Yasser Arafat.

Janet Mikhail, the mayor of Ramallah, said that “Israel’s threats” would not scare the Palestinians and that they would continue naming streets after shaheeds since they were part of Palestinian history (Wafa, April 20).

Khalil al-Wazir (1935-1988), known as Abu Jihad, co-founded Fatah with Yasser Arafat. He was responsible for terrorist attacks at the Savoy Hotel (1975) and on the Coastal Road (1978). He masterminded the terrorist attack in the Qirya camp in 1985, which was thwarted by Israeli security forces.

Khalil al-Wazir was assassinated at his home in Tunis on april 16,1988. Israel has never officially taken responsibility for his assassination.

The christening ceremony of the Ramallah street named after Abu Jihad (Wafa, April 20, 2010)

His wife, Intissar, and her children returned to Gaza following the Oslo Accords between Israel and the PLO. After Hamas’ takeover of the Gaza Strip in 2007, Palestinian looters raided al-Wazir’s home, reportedly stealing his personal belongings. Intissar al-Wazir said that the looting “occurred in broad daylight and under the watchful eye of Hamas militiamen.”

Read more here and here.

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