Said al-Muragha
| Said al-Muragha | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Native name | سعيد مُراغة |
| Nickname(s) | Abu Musa |
| Born |
1927 Silwan, Mandatory Palestine |
| Died |
29 January 2013 Damascus, Syria |
| Buried at | Damascus, Syria |
| Allegiance |
Jordan (1948-1970) PLO (1970-1983) Fatah al-Intifada (1983-2013) |
| Service/branch | Jordanian Army |
| Rank | Colonel |
| Battles/wars | |
| Other work | Secretary-General of Fatah al-Intifada |
Col. Sa'eed Musa al-Muragha (Arabic: سعيد مُراغة or سعيد موسى) (born 1927 in Silwan[1] – 29 January 2013)[2] was a Palestinian militant better known as Abu Musa.
Early years
A Palestinian, Abu Musa joined the Jordanian Army in 1948 and rose to become commander of an artillery battalion in 1969.[1] During this period he was sent to receive a military education at the prestigious British Sandhurst Military Academy.[3] In October 1970, after the Black September fighting, Musa left the Jordanian army to join the PLO and relocated with most of the Palestinian Resistance to Lebanon.[1] Here Musa rose to command an alliance between the PLO and Lebanese militias, which fought the Syrians when Syria intervened in the Lebanese Civil War in 1976.[4] In 1978 the Syrian government unsuccessfully attempted to assassinate him.[1]
Split with Arafat
Musa became deputy chief of operations for the PLO[4] and led the PLO's defense of Beirut in 1982 from the Israelis.[1] However Musa fell out with Yassir Arafat, head of Fatah and PLO, in May 1983.[1] Musa publicly complained over corrupt practices within the PLO, especially the promotion of political appointees loyal to Arafat to important military posts.[1] He was also known for hardline views on Israel, and outspoken in his opposition to what he saw as Arafat's attempt to reach a negotiated solution to the conflict (see Rejectionist Front).[3]
In November 1983 Musa was expelled from the PLO's military[1] and he formed Fatah Uprising (or Fatah al-Intifada in Arabic) in opposition to Arafat.[1] With the backing of Syria, who opposed any negotiations with Israel, Musa led his followers to drive Arafat's PLO from northern Lebanon.[4]
In 1984 Musa led Fatah Uprising to join the Palestinian National Alliance in Damascus in opposition to the PLO but failed to get a majority of Palestinian support.[4] He would join the Palestinian National Salvation Front in 1985 and oppose the Oslo Accords in 1993.[1] Abu Musa retreated from his leadership role in the 1990s and would no longer be active from then on.[1]
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 "Musa Muragha, Saeid (Abu Musa)". Dictionary of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict. 2005-01-01. Retrieved 2010-07-31.
- ↑ Pro-Syria Palestinian commander dies
- 1 2 Rubin, Barry M. (1994). Revolution until victory?: the politics and history of the PLO. Harvard University Press. p. 62. ISBN 0-674-76803-5.
- 1 2 3 4 "Abu Musa". Encyclopedia of World Biography. 2004-01-01. Retrieved 2010-07-31.