Afif Safieh

Afif Safieh (Arabic: عفيف صافية, born 4 May 1950) is a Palestinian diplomat. He has served as a Palestinian delegate to the Netherlands (1987-1990), to the United Kingdom (1990-2005), the Holy See, Vatican (1995-2005), and in Washington, D.C. as the head of the PLO mission. He was most recently the Palestinian ambassador to the Russian Federation.[1]

Afif Safieh
عفيف صافية
Afif Safieh presents his credentials to President Dmitry Medvedev in September 2008.
Palestine Ambassador to the United Kingdom
In office
1990–2005
Succeeded byManuel Hassassian
Personal details
Born (1950-05-04) 4 May 1950
Jerusalem
Alma materUniversité catholique de Louvain
Sciences Po

Safieh is an experienced diplomat, having served in the three most politically significant capitals: London, Washington, and Moscow.[2] Before this, he was deputy director of the PLO Observer Mission to the United Nations Office at Geneva.[3]

Early life and education

Safieh was born in Jerusalem in 1950 to a Catholic Palestinian Christian family.[4] He studied at the Catholic University of Louvain in Belgium, then in the Institut d'Etudes Politiques in Paris. During this time, he headed the Belgian branch of the General Union of Palestinian Students (GUPS) between 1969-1971; and the French branch of GUPS between 1974-1975.[3]

Career

In May 2008, Afif Safieh was appointed to serve as the Palestinian ambassador to the Russian Federation, he presented his letter of credentials to President Medvedev on September 18, 2008. It was reported in March 2009 that he had been dismissed from this post by Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas, apparently because he had spoken at a rally organised by Hamas to protest against Israeli actions during the 2008–2009 Israel–Gaza conflict.[5][6]

In September 2014 he was awarded by the Bethlehem University the degree of Doctor of Humanities, Honoris Causa.[7]

In the 6th Fateh Conference in 2009 and the 7th Fateh Conference in 2016, he was elected Member of the Revolutionary Council, which is the parliament of Fatah and since then has been Deputy Commissioner for International Relations.[8]

In 2018, Safieh gave a speech to Sinn Féin in Ireland at the Ardfheis.[9]

Personal life

Safieh is married and has two daughters.[7]

See also

References
  1. Safieh, Afif (2006). On Palestinian Diplomacy. Palestinian General Delegation to the U.K. and the Office of Representation of the P.L.O. to the Holy See.
  2. "H.E. Ambassador Afif Safieh". Cambridge Centre for Palestine Studies. Retrieved 2023-10-15.
  3. "Afif Safieh". ECFR. 2018-04-09. Retrieved 2023-10-14.
  4. "PASSIA - SAFIEH, AFIF EMILE (-)". passia.org. Retrieved 2023-10-15.
  5. Ambassadeur palestinien transféré après avoir critiqué l’AP, Palestine News Network, 20 March 2009
  6. On Land Day, Mazin Qumsiyeh, Monthly Review Online, 30 March 2009
  7. Safieh, Afif. "Afif Safieh". Afif Safieh. Retrieved 2023-10-15.
  8. "The Interview - Afif Safieh, Fatah's Deputy Commissioner for International Relations". France 24. 2012-06-04. Retrieved 2023-10-15.
  9. Palestinian leader gets huge welcome at Sinn Féin 2018 Ard Fheis, retrieved 2023-10-15
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