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In a poignant move, the personal diaries of renowned Palestinian writer and lawyer Raja Shehadeh have been transferred to the University of Edinburgh’s Centre for Research Collections, ensuring the preservation of his extensive documentation of life in the occupied West Bank. The archive, which spans over 5 million words across tens of thousands of pages, serves as a testament to Shehadeh's unwavering commitment to documenting the Palestinian narrative.
Shehadeh, now 75, began his diary entries at the tender age of 15, just weeks before the Six-Day War in 1967. His first entry, penned on May 11, 1967, reflects his early observations of the changing landscape of the Palestinian territories under Jordanian rule. The young Shehadeh, a student at the Quaker school in Ramallah, recognized the importance of chronicling the period of flux he was living through.
“I also realized it was a very confusing period, and that writing about it helped me understand better what was happening,” Shehadeh told Al Jazeera from Scotland’s capital. His diaries have since become a vital resource for understanding the complex history of the region, offering a firsthand account of pivotal events such as the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and the devastating Gaza siege.
The decision to transfer the archive to Edinburgh was driven by Shehadeh’s concerns over the safety of his collection in the face of ongoing Israeli incursions into the occupied West Bank and the genocidal war on Gaza. “I went to see it last week,” Shehadeh said of his archive. “I saw that they were held in a safe place with double locks and air-conditioning … and I felt very relieved.”
The University of Edinburgh, known for its strong ties to the city, was chosen as the site for the archive due to Shehadeh’s personal connection to the institution. He has launched 14 of his books at the capital’s annual book festival, and the university has a long-standing relationship with the Palestinian community.
The task of transferring Shehadeh’s substantial collection from Palestine to Scotland required the collaboration of various organizations, including the Digital Archive of the Middle East at England’s University of Exeter and a Palestinian team from Jerusalem’s Educational Bookshop. “There was a natural coming together, and everyone put ego aside for the greater good,” said Matthew Teller, an English author and journalist who served as project director.
The archive, which also includes material belonging to Shehadeh’s late father, Aziz Shehadeh, a lawyer from Ramallah, is a treasure trove of historical documents and personal reflections. It offers a unique perspective on the Palestinian experience, from the displacement of the Nakba to the ongoing struggle for freedom and justice.
Despite the transfer of his archive, Shehadeh remains committed to his lifelong habit of diary-keeping. “Once you start keeping a journal, you can’t stop,” he said. “My day is not finished until I’ve put down all my thoughts in a diary.”
The preservation of Shehadeh’s diaries is a significant victory for the Palestinian cause, ensuring that the voices of those who have lived through the conflict are heard and remembered. It is a testament to the power of storytelling and the enduring importance of historical documentation.
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