Dr. Abdel Aziz Ali Al Rantisi was born on October 23, 1947 in the village of Yebna, on the road linking the cities of Jaffa and Ashkelon, which Israel occupied in 1948. When he was just six months old, his family sought refuge in Gaza Strip after the establishment of Israel in 1948, and settled in Khan Younis refugee camp.
Growing up between nine brothers and two sisters, Al Rantisi studied at an UNRWA-operated school in the refugee camp and worked at the same time to support his large family.
In 1965, Al Rantisi graduated from high school with excellence and went to Alexandria, Egypt to study medicine there. In 1972, Al Rantisi came back to the Gaza Strip, and later to returned again to Alexandria and obtained a M.A. in pediatrics.
In 1976, he returned once again to Gaza Strip and worked as a resident physician in Nasser hospital in the city of Khan Younis. Al Rantisi was married with six children – two boys and four girls.
Al Rantisi was also a member of several medical societies in Gaza Strip, including a member in the executive committee of the Islamic Complex, the Arab Medical Association in Gaza and the Palestinian Red Crescent Society. He also worked as a lecturer of Heredity and Parasitology in the Islamic University of Gaza since its establishment in 1978.
In 1983, he was dismissed from Nasser hospital by the Israeli occupying authorities for refusing to pay taxes to Israel. He was arrested several times by Israel.
Along with a group of fellow Muslim Brothers activists in Gaza Strip, he participated in forming the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) in 1987. The Israeli occupying authorities jailed him again in 1988 for two and a half years for participating in anti-occupation activities. He was released on September 4, 1990 and then arrested again in December 14, 1990 and held on administrative detention (without trial or charge) for a year.
On December 17, 1992, Al Rantisi and 400 other Palestinian activists were expelled to the Lebanese border town of Marj Al Zuhoor. He stood out as a spokesman for the expelled activists who remained camping in the area where they were deported to force the occupying authorities to return them.
Following his return from Marj Al Zuhoor, he was immediately arrested by the occupying forces, and an Israeli martial court sentenced him to prison until mid 1997. Upon his release, he continued his role as one of Hamas leaders.
He was also detained few times by the Palestinian Authority for his criticism of the PA and Yasser Arafat, most recently in mid-1999.
On June 10, 2003 Al Rantisi survived an attempt on his life by the Israeli occupying forces when the car he was driving in was bombed with missiles. Al Rantisi and his son, Mohammed, were taken to hospital, where doctors said that their wounds were minor.
On March 24, 2004 he was named as leader of Hamas movement in Gaza Strip, succeeding Sheikh Ahmad Yassin after the latter's assassination by Israel. The Israeli government has declared that it will hunt down Al Rantisi. In response to that he said, " We will all die one day. Nothing will change. If by Apache or by cardiac arrest, I prefer Apache."
On April 17, 2004 Al Rantisi was assassinated by Israeli copter attack in Gaza along with two other people. (Albawaba.com + IPC)
© 2004 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
