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Portrait of Leila Khaled

Photo: David Segarra · CC BY-SA 4.0

Leila Khaled

Palestinian PFLP activist known for aircraft hijackings

Born
9 April 1944
Born in
Haifa, Palestine
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Why Leila is here

Key figure in PFLP, known for airline hijackings, political activism.

Their story

Leila Khaled was born in Haifa in 1944; four years later her family fled to Lebanon. She joined the Arab Nationalist Movement as a teenager and then the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP).

In 1969 she took part in the hijacking of TWA Flight 840, and in 1970 she was captured in London after a failed attempt to seize an El Al plane, then freed in a prisoner exchange. A photograph of her in a keffiyeh became one of the best-known images of the Palestinian struggle. She later sat on the Palestine National Council and lives in Amman.

In pictures

Milestones

The moments that shaped Leila’s path.

  1. 1948

    Forced Exile during Nakba

    Her family left Haifa after it fell to Zionist forces.

  2. 1969

    Joining PFLP and First Plane Hijacking

    Participated in the hijacking of TWA Flight 840, bound from Rome for Tel Aviv; the aircraft was diverted to Damascus.

  3. 1970

    Second Plane Hijacking

    Participated in another hijacking, an El Al flight, but was captured.

  4. 1982

    Establishment of Palestine Women Organization

    Became the first secretary of the organization.

  5. 1993

    Elected Member of PFLP Political Bureau

    Signifying her continued influence in Palestinian politics.

Legacy

What they built, changed and left behind.

  1. Prominent Role in Armed Struggle

    Participated in aircraft hijackings that brought international attention to the Palestinian cause.

    Watch

  2. Women’s Rights Activism

    Actively involved in advocating for women's rights within the Palestinian context.

  3. Political Involvement

    Longtime member and leader within the PFLP and the Palestinian National Council.

  4. Cultural Icon

    Became a symbol of resistance and the Palestinian struggle.

  5. Educational and Social Work

    Engaged in various social and educational programs, especially for women and children affected by conflict.

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Watch

Leila in interviews, talks and coverage.

  • 01Prominent Role in Armed Struggle↗

Further reading

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