Hikmat Zaid

Hikmat Hashim Lotfi Zaid Al-Kilani (, born 9 August 1945), also known by his kunya Abu Zaid , is a Palestinian politician who served as the 2nd Minister of Agriculture from 1998 to 2002 in Yasser Arafat's third government and later as the 5th Minister of Transport and Communications from 2003 to 2005 in Ahmed Qurei's second government within the Palestinian National Authority.

From 1988 up until 2008, he was a member of the Fatah Revolutionary Council, where he previously served as the 1st Governor of Jenin from 1994 to 1996 and represented it as a member of the Palestinian Legislative Council from 1996 to 2006.

Zaid represented the Palestine Liberation Organization on an international level, serving as the Ambassador to Hungary from 1985 to 1994.

Zaid is currently a member of the Fatah Advisory Council

Early life and education Hikmat Zaid was born in Silat al-Harithiya, a village 10 kilometres northwest of Jenin in 1945. After graduation, he wasn't allowed to return to Palestine so he made Amman, Jordan his residence instead.

Career

Early political career

In the early 1980s, Zaid was named PLO ambassador to Budapest, Hungary, where he tried to build ties with Hungary and other Eastern European countries and advocate for Palestinian rights.

In 1994, after returning to Palestine from his diplomatic posts, Arafat, the President of the Palestinian National Authority, appointed him as the first Governor of Jenin since the Israeli occupation in 1967. He later ran successfully as an independent candidate for Jenin in the 1996 Palestine Legislative Council (PLC) elections on the Fatah list in which he received 14,220 votes. According to him "This measure aims to denounce the destruction of Palestinian agriculture by Israel through the blockade of Palestinian territories. Bananas, mangoes, melons, pears, apples, poultry, eggs, cattle, and dairy goods, with the exception of milk, were among the items boycotted.

Zaid met his Israeli Agriculture Minister counterpart Shalom Simhon on 21 August to discuss the Palestinian Authority's ban on Israeli agricultural products. The ban was imposed due to Israeli military actions causing severe damage to Palestinian agriculture. Zaid indicated the ban could be lifted if the Israeli army allows free movement for Palestinian farmers and workers.

Zaid appealed to Arab agriculture ministers for help, noting the ministry's efforts since 1994 to rehabilitate the sector, which were undone by the conflict. He emphasized that these actions have increased unemployment and pushed over 50% of Palestinians below the poverty line. Zaid headed an envoy whom were the first official Fatah delegation in over a year since the Fatah–Hamas conflict to visit the strip.

Zaid welcomed dialogue for efforts aimed at restoring Palestinian unity with senior Hamas delegation including Ahmed Yousef and Ghazi Hamad and Gaza Governor Muhammad al-Qudwa.

Zaid regularly visited and met with municipal councils asserting Abu Mazen's continued presidency until new elections are held. He also urged Hamas to engage in dialogue and commit to the Egyptian directive for legislative and presidential elections.

Zaid played a role in advocating for the Sixth Fatah General Assembly Conference.

Zaid highlighted challenges within Fatah, including internal conflicts, the participation of Gaza members, and the lack of time to resolve issues before the November 29 seventh conference. Zaid criticized inefficiencies in addressing organizational problems in both Gaza and the West Bank but noted that preparations for the conference continued to ensure broad representation of Fatah members.

Outside of politics

PLO property dispute Abu Zaid was mentioned in relation to facilitating the transfer of a PLO property in Musrara, Jerusalem. Reports indicate that Zaid instructed lawyer Fahmi Shabaneh not to intervene in the property's transfer, with the expectation that the property would be reclaimed when Jerusalem's status is resolved. Following these events, Shabaneh was suspended, and the property was transferred to the Universal Church. This incident has raised concerns about the management and protection of PLO assets amid ongoing political and legal complexities.

Personal life Hikmat married Itidal in 1971 and had four children with her. Hikmat and his family finally returned to Palestine following the Oslo Peace Accords between Israel and the PLO and in 1994 where he later on became the first Governor of Jenin. They have total of 14 grandchildren. Zaid suffered losses of two brothers in the late 1980s, and a third brother in 2024. Hikmat currently resides in Amman.