Raja Shehadeh, a prominent Palestinian writer, has been dedicated to preserving his personal diaries, which document Palestinian life since 1967, the start of Israel’s occupation of the West Bank. These diaries offer a unique perspective on historical events, including Shehadeh’s interactions with world leaders and his work as a human rights lawyer. Concerned about the potential destruction of his archives due to Israeli military operations, Shehadeh participated in a secretive two-year effort to transfer them to Scotland. Now housed at the University of Edinburgh, with thousands of pages available online through the University of Exeter, these diaries provide invaluable insights into Palestinian history. Shehadeh’s commitment to diary writing has been a lifelong discipline, helping him understand and document the significant events around him.
QUESTION: How might preserving personal histories like Raja Shehadeh’s diaries influence future generations’ understanding of historical events?
The secret quest to preserve Palestinian writer Raja Shehadeh’s diaries
