16 Notable alumni of Birzeit University
Updated: June 10, 2026 EliteDegrees
Birzeit University is ranked #2,140 in the world and #2 in Palestine by aggregated alumni prominence. Below is the list of 16 notable alumni from Birzeit University sorted by their wiki pages popularity. The directory includes famous graduates and former students along with research and academic staff. Many individuals affiliated with Birzeit University won Nobel Prizes for Peace, in Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, and Economics.
1. Hasan Abu-Libdeh
1954-. (aged 72)
politician
statistician
Hasan Abu-Libdeh is a Palestinian statistician and politician, who founded the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics in 1993. He served in the Palestinian National Authority as minister of labour, social affairs, and national economy.
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2. Ali Jarbawi
1954-. (aged 72)
politician
political scientist
Ali Jarbawi is a Palestinian politician and lecturer. He is the former Minister of Planning and Administrative Development and the former Minister of Higher Education of the Government of the Palestinian National Authority.
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3. Hanan Jarrar
1975-. (aged 51)
diplomat
Hanan Na'eem Ameen Jarrar, is a Palestinian politician and diplomat serving as Palestinian Ambassador to South Africa and non-resident Ambassador of the State of Palestine to Namibia, Malawi and Lesotho. On 28 December 2019, she was appointed as Ambassador to South Africa by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. On 28 January 2020, she presented her credentials to the President of South...
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4. Musa Hadid
1965-. (aged 61)
civil engineer
mayor
Musa Hadid is a Palestinian political figure and the former mayor of Ramallah, Palestine.
5. Abbad Yahya
1988-. (aged 38)
writer
Abbad Yahya; born in Palestine in 1988 is a Palestinian author and novelist, researcher, and media professional. He holds a Master’s degree in Sociology from Birzeit University in Palestine. Over the years, he has held various positions in media and research institutions across multiple Arab and international organizations. Currently, he holds the position of "General Manager" at Al Araby Television...
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6. Tarek Aggad
1971-. (aged 55)
businessperson
chief executive officer
Tarek Omar Abdul Fattah Aggad is a Saudi businessman. He is the executive director of the Aggad Investment Company (AICO) and chairman of Arab Palestinian Investment Company, two firms founded by his father, Omar Aggad.
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7. Sonia Nimr
1955-. (aged 71)
children's writer
writer
university teacher
Sonia Nimr is a Palestinian writer, storyteller, translator, ethnographer and academic. She writes for children and youth in Arabic and English, and relates folk-tales in colloquial Arabic. She is the winner of the 2014 Etisalat Award for Arabic Children's Literature for Best Young Adult Book for her book Extraordinary Journeys to Unknown Places. Nimr is an Associate Professor of Philosophy...
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8. Khalida Jarrar
1963-. (aged 63)
politician
activist
Khalida Jarrar is a Palestinian politician. She is a member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) and the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC). She was elected to the PLC in January 2006 as one of the PFLP's three deputies and has continued to serve as an elected representative ever since. She is also the Palestinian representative on...
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9. Raja Shehadeh
1951-. (aged 75)
writer
human rights defender
lawyer
journalist
Raja Shehadeh is a Palestinian lawyer, human rights activist and writer. He co-founded the award-winning Palestinian human rights organization Al-Haq in 1979. In 2008, he won the Orwell Prize, a British award for political writing, for his book Palestinian Walks.
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10. Muna el-Kurd
1998-. (aged 28)
journalist
activist
Muna el-Kurd is a Palestinian activist based in the neighbourhood of Sheikh Jarrah in East Jerusalem. Alongside her twin brother, Mohammed el-Kurd, she drew international attention for her involvement in the Sheikh Jarrah controversy, which served as a key trigger for the 2021 Israel–Palestine crisis. She has regularly protested Israel's eviction of Palestinians in East Jerusalem, and gained prominence for...
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11. Marwan Barghouti
1959-. (aged 67)
politician
Marwan Barghouti, sometimes known by the kunya Abu Al-Qassam (أبو القسام), is a Palestinian political leader who has served as an elected legislator and has been an advocate of a two-state solution since prior to his imprisonment by Israel.
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12. Elia Suleiman
1960-. (aged 66)
actor
screenwriter
director
film actor
film director
Elia Suleiman is an Israeli-born Palestinian film director and actor. He is best known for the 2002 film Divine Intervention (Arabic: يد إلهية), a modern tragicomedy on living under occupation in Palestine which won the Jury Prize at the 2002 Cannes Film Festival. Suleiman's cinematic style is often compared to that of Jacques Tati and Buster Keaton, for its poetic...
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13. Isa Qaraqi
1961-. (aged 65)
politician
Issa Qaraqe is a Palestinian politician who has held various positions in the Palestinian Authority.
14. Mohammad Shtayyeh
1958-. (aged 68)
economist
writer
politician
Mohammad Ibrahim Shtayyeh is a Palestinian politician, academic, and economist who served as the Prime Minister of Palestine from 2019 to 2024. On 26 February 2024, he and his government announced their resignation, remaining in office in a demissionary capacity until a new government was formed on 31 March 2024.
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15. Atef Abu Saif
1973-. (aged 53)
novelist
political scientist
writer
Atef Abu Saif is a Palestinian writer. His books have been translated into various languages, and his writings have also been featured in The New York Times, The Guardian, Guernica, and Slate. He has served as a spokesman for Fatah and served as Minister for Culture in the Palestine Authority from 2019 to 2024.
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16. Husam Zomlot
1973-. (aged 53)
diplomat
politician
Husam Said Zomlot is a Palestinian diplomat, academic and economist. He was appointed Head of the Palestinian Mission to the United Kingdom in October 2018. He has served as the Palestinian ambassador to the United Kingdom since January 2026. Before his posting to the UK, he served as head of the PLO mission to the United States that was closed...
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