 George Habash, founder of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine terrorist group, died. Habash, who masterminded major plane hijackings, border raids and other spectacular attacks against Israelis in the 1970s, lived his life on the run and succumbed to heart problems in a Jordanian hospital Saturday. He was 80.
| One of the pioneers in airplane hijackings checks out. Lived too long, I'd say. Say hello to Himmler for us. |
The son of Palestinian Christian refugees, Habash founded the PFLP in 1968 and preached the destruction of the Jewish state. His faction was marginalized in the 1990s when Yasser Arafat signed interim Israeli-Palestinian peace deals. Habash resigned as PFLP chief in 2000. His successors were either assassinated or jailed by Israel. |