Majed Abu Sharar

Majid Abu Sharar (1936–9 October 1981) was a Palestinian writer, activist, journalist, and politician. He wrote Bitter Bread. He was assassinated on 9 October 1981 after a bomb was planted by Mossad agents in his hotel in Rome.

Early life He was born in 1936 to Mohammed Abusharar and Fatima Al-Sharif in Dura. He moved to Gaza because of his father's work as a judge, as well as his father joining the Holy Jihad Army during the 1940s. Majid received his primary and preparatory education in Gaza. He later earned a law degree from Alexandria University in 1958, before returning to his hometown in Dura.

Career Shortly after, Abu Sharar moved to Jordan and worked as a teacher and principal in Karak District School. In 1959, he became an editor of Al-Ayyam in Saudi Arabia. He was also socialist in his political ideals and was fairly open about such in his works. He joined Fatah in 1962 and was active in its administration. In the same year, he was married and had a child. Following the Six-Day War, he moved to Jordan and continued to work in Fatah's media department under Kamal Adwan. He also became an active member of several Palestinian writer and journalist groups and provided ground for different Palestinian parties and militias to negotiate. He was buried in Beirut in the Palestinian Martyr's Cemetery by his family due to him residing there before his death. Authorities originally assumed that he was assembling the bomb but the theory was later disproved following autopsy reports and several investigations.

Aftermath Following his death, his family was notified and travelled to Beirut to bury him. A general disruption within his hometown in Dura and Palestine ensued as people were seen wearing black to pay respects. His official funeral would be held in Beirut. His funeral was attended by his family and band members. He would be buried in the Palestinian Martyr's Cemetery. Mahmoud Darwish wrote of him within one of his books "In the Presence of Absence" and the Majid Abusharar Media Foundation would be opened to perpetuate his name. In 2012, A Palestinian artist known as Youssef Katlo erected a 10 meter long and three meter wide mural in his honor of Majid in front of the entrance to Dora International.