Palestinian Activist Samiha Khalil Dies
Saturday, February 27, 1999

RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP) -- Samiha Khalil, a social worker and political activist 
who challenged Yasser Arafat in the race for president of the Palestinian Authority 
has died. She was 76.  

Khalil died late Friday night in Ramallah Hospital after suffering a heart attack.  

Khalil became a household name for the Palestinians in 1965 when she established 
the Society of In'ash el-Usrah, a family welfare group in el-Bireh that provided 
women with educational services and vocational training.  

Starting in a small garage with a budget of $140, Khalil expanded the group into 
three buildings with six vocational departments operating on a budget of $400,000, 
helping over 3,000 families. Over 6,000 women have graduated and entered the 
work force.  

In 1996, Khalil became the first woman to run for the office of president in the Arab 
world when she challenged Arafat for the presidency of the Palestinian Authority in 
the first Palestinian general election.  

Soon after Israel occupied the West Bank in 1967, Khalil began organizing 
demonstrations against Israel. She was arrested six times and placed under arrest 
from 1980-82.  

Khalil, born in 1923 in the West Bank town of Anabta will be buried on Sunday in el-
Bireh. She is survived by her four sons and a daughter.