Name of leader Jamal Abu Samhadana
Organization Popular Resistance Committees
Conflict country Israel
Gender Male
Year of birth 1963 [1]
Place of birth Maghazi refugee camp in Gaza [2]
Year of death 2006 [3]
Deceased
Yes, he was assassinated in 2006.[4]
Birth order
His birth order is unknown.
Age at start of rebel leadership
In 2000, so age 37.[5]
Leader entry method
He was a co-founder.[6]
Powersharing
Yes, he shared power with Abu Awad.[7]
Education (also name universities attended, if any); note any relevant experiences while a student
“He finished high school in Rafah and joined the Department of Geography at the Faculty of Arts at the Islamic University.”[8] He also studied for three years at the German MilitaryAcademy[9]. (Officer’s training)[10]
Ever married? If yes, age of first marriage
Yes, he was married.[11]
Children
Yes, he had five children.[12]
Religious identification
He was Muslim.
Elite Family background
“Abu Samhadana, who is a descendant of his father's father, Hajj Attaya, a prominent member of Rafah.”[13]
Political affiliations and intellectual circles; note any relevant social connections made
He was a Fatah leader and later was an officer in the General Security Service.[14][15]
Physical and mental health
No, there is no evidence of poor physical or mental health.
Pre-militant leader occupation
He was an activist.[16]
Experience in a state military, and role; any relevant social ties
No, there is no evidence of experience in a state military.
Experience in a nonstate military, and role; any relevant social ties
Yes, he led military groups which were part of the Fatah movement and served as an officer in the General Security Service.[17][18]
Combat experience prior to assuming resistance organization leadership?
No, there is no evidence of combat experience.
Held government position prior to assuming leadership?
No, there is no evidence he held a government position.
Lived in exile?
Yes, “Israel has been hunting him down since 1982 for being a prominent Fatah leader.He managed to move to Egypt and from there to Syria and Morocco; he also travelled to the former East Germany where he went through military college where he graduated in1989. He then moved to Algeria and then to Iraq where he witnessed the first Iraq war in 1991. He then returned to Algeria and then after the Oslo Accords, he returned to theGaza Strip.”[19]
Study abroad?
Yes, he studied at a military college in Germany.[20]
Did the leader receive military training abroad?
Yes, he studied at a military college in Germany.[21]
Did the leader have extensive work experience abroad?
No, there is no evidence he had extensive work experience abroad.
Serve time in prison? Social connections during that time?
“He was also arrested by [the Palestinian Authority] security bodies in 1997 for 19months for helping the Islamic Jihad Movement in its military activities.”[22]
Was there an assassination attempt on the leader by the state?
Yes, there were multiple attempts by Israel.[23][24]
Cause of Death?
He was assassinated by Israel.[25]
Primary language, and other languages spoken as adult
He likely spoke Arabic as his primary language.[26]
[1]Image Credit: https://cdnph.upi.com/pv/upi/42fecc3e0ed467296d62fdf441f5990c/JAMAL-ABU-SAMHADANA.jpg
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[2] “جمال أبو سمهدانة"أبو عطايا".. استشهد في الميدان” [Jamal Abu Samhadana "Abu Ataya" .. Killed in the field], samanews, June 8, 2011, Accessed March 26, 2018, http://samanews.ps/ar/post/97486/.
[3] “Wanted militant dies in Gaza raid,” BBC News, June 8, 2006, Accessed March 26, 2018, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/5062360.stm.
[4] “Wanted militant dies in Gaza raid,” BBC News, June 8, 2006, Accessed March 26, 2018, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/5062360.stm.
[5] “Palestinian Terror Groups: Popular Resistance Committees (PRC),” Jewish Virtual Library, Accessed March 26, 2018, http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/popular-resistance-committees-prc.
[6] “Palestinian Terror Groups: Popular Resistance Committees (PRC),” Jewish Virtual Library, Accessed March 26, 2018, http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/popular-resistance-committees-prc.
[7] Khaled Abu Toameh, “IAF ‘WIPED OUT PRC’S MOST IMPORTANT’ LEADER,” The Jerusalem Post, August 22, 2011, Accessed April 1, 2018, http://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/IAF-wiped-out-PRCs-most-important-leader.
[8] “جمال أبو سمهدانة"أبو عطايا".. استشهد في الميدان” [Jamal Abu Samhadana "Abu Ataya" .. Killed in the field], samanews, June 8, 2011, Accessed March 26, 2018, http://samanews.ps/ar/post/97486/.
[9] “جمال أبو سمهدانة"أبو عطايا".. استشهد في الميدان” [Jamal Abu Samhadana "Abu Ataya" .. Killed in the field], samanews, June 8, 2011, Accessed March 26, 2018, http://samanews.ps/ar/post/97486/.
[10] Hanan Grennberg, “Who are you, Jamal Abu Samhadana?,” ynet, June 9, 2006, Accessed July 16, 2018, https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3260716,00.html.
[11] “PRC leader, Jamal Abu Samhadana, killed in Israeli air strike,” Ma’ an News Agency, June 9, 2006, Accessed March 26, 2018, http://www.maannews.com/Content.aspx?id=186679.
[12] “PRC leader, Jamal Abu Samhadana, killed in Israeli air strike,” Ma’ an News Agency, June 9, 2006, Accessed March 26, 2018, http://www.maannews.com/Content.aspx?id=186679.
[13] “جمال أبو سمهدانة"أبو عطايا".. استشهد في الميدان” [Jamal Abu Samhadana "Abu Ataya" .. Killed in the field], samanews, June 8, 2011, Accessed March 26, 2018, http://samanews.ps/ar/post/97486/.
[14] “PRC leader, Jamal Abu Samhadana, killed in Israeli air strike,” Ma’ an News Agency, June 9, 2006, Accessed March 26, 2018, http://www.maannews.com/Content.aspx?id=186679.
[15] “جمال أبو سمهدانة"أبو عطايا".. استشهد في الميدان” [Jamal Abu Samhadana "Abu Ataya" .. Killed in the field], samanews, June 8, 2011, Accessed March 26, 2018, http://samanews.ps/ar/post/97486/.
[16] “PRC leader, Jamal Abu Samhadana, killed in Israeli air strike,” Ma’ an News Agency, June 9, 2006, Accessed March 26, 2018, http://www.maannews.com/Content.aspx?id=186679.
[17] “جمال أبو سمهدانة"أبو عطايا".. استشهد في الميدان” [Jamal Abu Samhadana "Abu Ataya" .. Killed in the field], samanews, June 8, 2011, Accessed March 26, 2018, http://samanews.ps/ar/post/97486/.
[18] “جمال أبو سمهدانة.. قصة رجل من زمن آخر” [Jamal Abu Samhadana .. The story of a man of another time], https://www.moqawama.org/essaydetails.php?eid=32345&cid=330.
[19] “PRC leader, Jamal Abu Samhadana, killed in Israeli air strike,” Ma’ an News Agency, June 9, 2006, Accessed March 26, 2018, http://www.maannews.com/Content.aspx?id=186679.
[20] “PRC leader, Jamal Abu Samhadana, killed in Israeli air strike,” Ma’ an News Agency, June 9, 2006, Accessed March 26, 2018, http://www.maannews.com/Content.aspx?id=186679.
[21] “PRC leader, Jamal Abu Samhadana, killed in Israeli air strike,” Ma’ an News Agency, June 9, 2006, Accessed March 26, 2018, http://www.maannews.com/Content.aspx?id=186679.
[22] “PRC leader, Jamal Abu Samhadana, killed in Israeli air strike,” Ma’ an News Agency, June 9, 2006, Accessed March 26, 2018, http://www.maannews.com/Content.aspx?id=186679.
[23] “Hamas defies 'security force' ban,” BBC News, April 21, 2006, Accessed March 26, 2018, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4932724.stm.
[24] “Wanted militant dies in Gaza raid,” BBC News, June 8, 2006, Accessed March 26, 2018, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/5062360.stm.
[25] “Wanted militant dies in Gaza raid,” BBC News, June 8, 2006, Accessed March 26, 2018, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/5062360.stm.
[26] “Languages," Central Intelligence Agency, Accessed July 4, 2020, https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/402.html