Wael Zwaiter | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Wael Zwaiter | |
| Native name | وائل زعيتر |
| Born | (1934-01-02)2 January 1934 |
| Died | 1972 (aged 37–38) Rome, Italy |
| Cause of death | Assassination |
| Occupation | Diplomat, writer, translator |
| Language | Arabic |
| Alma mater | University of Baghdad |
| Parents | Adel Zu'aiter |
| Relatives | Akram Zuaiter (paternal uncle) |
Abdel Wael Zwaiter (Arabic:وائل زعيتر; also known asWa'el Zu'aytir;[1] 2 January 1934 – 16 October 1972) was aPalestinian writer and translator. He was assassinated as the first target ofIsrael'sMossad assassinations following the Munich massacre. Israel considered Zwaiter a terrorist for his alleged role in theBlack September group,[2] while his supporters argued that he was "never conclusively linked" withBlack September or theMunich massacre and was killed in retribution.[3][4] Today Zwaiter is regarded with a high degree of certainty as innocent.[5]
Abdel Wael Zwaiter was born inNablus, Palestine in 1934, the son of Adel Zu'aiter.[6][7]
He went toIraq and studied Arabic literature and philosophy at theUniversity of Baghdad.[citation needed]
Zwaiter moved then toLibya and afterwards toRome, where he was aPLO representative and worked as a translator for the Libyanembassy.[8]
In addition to his nativeArabic, Zwaiter spokeFrench,Italian, andEnglish. During his time in Italy, Zwaiter was in the process of translatingOne Thousand and One Nights from Arabic into Italian, but according toEmily Jacir, he never completed this.[citation needed]
Zwaiter was held for questioning by Italian police in August 1972 in relation to a bombing by the group Black September against an oil refinery, but was later released. The IsraeliMossad suspected him of being the head of Black September in Rome, and put him on an assassination list after Black September's attack inMunich. When he returned to his apartment building on the night of 16 October 1972, he was killed by two Mossad agents who shot him 11 times in the lobby of the building – one bullet for each Israeli athlete killed.[9]
At the time, Zwaiter was the PLO representative in Italy, and while Israel privately claimed he was a member of Black September and was involved in a failed plot against anEl Al airliner, members of the PLO have argued that he was in no way connected.Abu Iyad, deputy-chief of the PLO, stated that Zwaiter was "energetically" against political violence.[10] Zwaiter was living with his partner Janet Venn-Brown, an Australian artist, in Rome.[11]
TheItalian Communist Party (PCI) condemned the killing of Zwaiter.[12] A funeral ceremony was held for Zwaiter in Rome with the attendance of many people, including officials of the PCI.[12] He was buried in his hometown, Nablus.[13]
A top Mossad official who looked at the Zwaiter file years too late admitted that “it was a terrible mistake.” Palestinians have long insisted that Zwaiter was a peaceable intellectual who abhorred violence.[14][better source needed]
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