Intissar al-Wazir

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Intissar al-Wazir (1941-) (also known as Umm al-Jihad) is a member of the [[Palestinian Legislative Council and a former PNA minister. Her husband was Khalil al-Wazir, a senior figure of the Palestine Liberation Organization who was assassinated by Israel in 1989. She joined the Fatah organization in 1959, becoming the party’s first female member. She has a bachelor's degree in history from Damascus University.

[edit] Biography

Al-Wazir was born in Gaza City. She helped found the General Union for Palestinian Women, an organization that focuses on the social, economic and legal status of Palestinian women.

She has been a member of the Palestinian National Council since 1974 and a member of the Fatah-Central Committee since 1987. She was the Secretary-General of the General Union of Palestinian Women from 1980-85. In 1983, she served as the Deputy Secretary-General of the Fatah-Revolutionary Council. During Khalil al-Wazir's (Abu Jihad's) exile, Intissar lived with him for 30 years although she was not under exile. She returned to the Gaza Strip in 1995 and was elected to the PLC in 1996. From 1995 to 2005 she has been the Social Affairs Minister of the Palestinian National Authority.