Success stories of Palestinian achievers from all over the world

Issa Sabbagh

Issa Sabbagh

Sector : Media, Journalists

Personal Info

  • Country of residence: Palestine
  • Gender: Male
  • Born in: 1917
  • Age: 105
  • Curriculum vitae :

Information

Issa Khalil Sabbagh (December 21, 1917 - January 15, 2000) was a Palestinian Christian journalist, from the Palestinian city of Tulkarm, where he grew up. He was one of the first broadcasters on BBC Arabic Radio, and one of the most prominent Arab broadcasters on BBC Arabic and Voice of America. He is known as the "Prince of the Arab Microphone".

 

His upbringing and educational attainment

Issa Khalil Sabbagh was born on December 21, 1917 to the well-known Christian Sabbagh family in the city of Tulkarm; His father, Khalil Sabbagh, was a well-known politician and a representative of Tulkarm in the Fourth Palestinian Arab Congress in 1921, and Issa had relatives from the Sabbagh family in Safed.

 

His father, Khalil Sabbagh, was also a well-known lawyer in Tulkarm. He was also the head of the Christian Society in Tulkarm, and one of the local leaders of Tulkarm at the time of the British Mandate. His father Khalil played a prominent role in fighting the British Mandate in Palestine. He held demonstrations, protests, and events against the British Mandate, the Balfour Declaration, and Jewish immigration to Palestine. His father Khalil also led an attack on the Jewish colony of Hadera near Tulkarm in early 1923.

 

Issa Sabbagh grew up in the Palestinian city of Tulkarm, where he received his education. He studied at the Al-Fadhili School in the city. Then, in 1937, he went to England to continue his university education, where he graduated from the University of Exeter with a major in "Geography and History".

 

working life

Issa Sabbagh worked with Hassan Al Karmi at the BBC during World War II, then the US State Department asked him in 1948 to work on establishing the Arab Voice of America service.

 

In the 1950s, Issa Sabbagh obtained American citizenship, then joined the US Information Agency (USIS), and then the US State Department, where he was a media advisor and translator at the White House for US Presidents Lyndon Johnson, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter.

 

Issa Sabbagh frequently accompanied US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger during his trips to the Middle East, translated between him and Arab leaders, and assisted in peace missions in the Middle East to both Saudi King Faisal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Syrian President Hafez al-Assad and then Saudi King Khalid bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Saudi King Fahd bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.

 

Issa Sabbagh then opened and managed the first public affairs offices in the US Embassy in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, and then took the position of Senior Advisor to the US Ambassador to Saudi Arabia.

 

His writings

Issa Sabbagh has written several books, which are:

 

The book "As the Arabs Say", Part One, in English, 1983.

The book "As the Arabs Say", Part Two, in English, 1987.

The book "Among my papers: 50 years of media and diplomacy", in Arabic, was published in London, in 1991.

his death

Issa Sabbagh died on January 15, 2000 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, at the age of 82 years and one month, after suffering a heart attack during his visit to his son Samir from his second wife, who works as a pilot for Saudi Airlines.

 

Saudi Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud mourned Issa Sabbagh during a telegram of condolence sent to the family of the late Issa on January 27, 2000.

 

They said about him

Palestinian historian Nasser al-Din al-Nashashibi said about him in 1991: "Issa, Ibn Tulkarem and Ibn Safad together, was keen to make his tone of voice mixed with feelings of longing for the homeland, on his behalf, in expressing the love and encouragement in his chest for steadfastness."

US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger said about him: “A word of truth must be said about a person who translated my meetings in Damascus and Riyadh. The Arabs praise the accuracy of his transmission, and his translation with high quality formulation and a fine literary expression. He is of Palestinian origin, with beautiful gray hair. His heart was with his homeland (Palestine) without affecting his dedication to his work."

Jordanian King Abdullah I bin Al-Hussein said about him in 1949: “If Jesus came to Amman, I want him to stay with us and become Minister of Information.”

Achievements and Awards

decorations

Issa Sabbagh was imitated with high decorations, which are:

 

The King Abdulaziz Al Saud Medal, from the King of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

American Medal for Distinguished Service, from the US Secretary of State, 1979.

source

  • Marital status :
  • City :
  • Status :
  • Years in active : From To