Palestinian National Authority awards late Khalil and Baramki

President of the Palestinian National Authority Mahmoud Abbas has awarded the Medal of Merit and Distinction to the late Samiha Khalil and the late Gabi Baramki. Khalil’s dedication to charity work, her struggle against occupation and her contributions to the prominence of the feminist movement and democratic practices in Palestine, were cited as reasons for decoration. The medal was received by the children and family of the deceased in the presence of Saeb Erekat, Nabil Shaath, Hussein al-Araj, Majdi Khaldi and Zahi Khoury. Samiha Khalil was born in the town of Anabta in the District of Tulkarm in 1923 and was married to Salama Khalil with whom she had five children. In the Palestinian elections of 1996, she was the only candidate challenging Yasser Arafat for the Presidency. She is one of the pioneers of the national movement which did not make do with saying No to Israel, but translated the word into continuous, daily struggle. Her commitment to the cause was not broken down by the cruelty of the occupation or the treatment she received at its hands, from arbitrary sentences to oppressive restrictions. She passed on in 1999 after a lifetime of struggle. President Abbas also awarded the Medal of Merit and Distinction to the late Gabi Baramki for the exceptional academic role he played in developing tertiary education in Palestine and contributing to the establishment of its first university—the University of Bezreit. His generosity and great contributions to his homeland were also cited. The medal awarded to Baramki (who died nearly a month ago) was received by his widow Haifaa Baramki and his children, also in the presence of Erikat, Shaath, al-Araj, Khaldi and Khoury.