Abu Abbas

Biography

Abu Abbas, also known as Mohammad Abbas, was a prominent Palestinian political figure and the leader of the Palestine Liberation Front (PLF), a faction of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). Born in 1948 in a refugee camp in Syria, Abbas became involved in the Palestinian nationalist movement at a young age. His name became internationally known after the 1985 hijacking of the Italian cruise ship Achille Lauro, an operation that resulted in the death of an American citizen, Leon Klinghoffer. The incident drew worldwide condemnation and highlighted the plight of the Palestinian cause, albeit through a controversial lens. Abbas was captured in 2003 by U.S. forces in Iraq and died in U.S. custody in 2004. His life and actions sparked debate on the nature of resistance and terrorism, reflecting the complex struggle for Palestinian statehood and the moral quandaries associated with it.