Leila Khaled

Leila Khaled is a woman from Palestine.

Long ago, her family had to move. She joined a group to help her people. She became very well known for her work with planes.

She was part of a plan to take over a plane. This happened two times. She was a famous woman in these events.

Later, she was sent to jail. Other people helped her get out. She then lived in a place called Jordan.

Today, people still talk about her. Some even made art about her.

It is a big story for many people.

Leila Khaled is a Palestinian activist. She was born in Haifa in 1944.

When she was young, her family moved to Lebanon. This happened during a time of great change for her people. Later, she joined a group called the PFLP. This group works for the rights of Palestinians.

Khaled became famous for two plane hijackings. A hijacking is when people take control of a plane by force. In 1969, she was part of a team that took over a TWA flight. She asked the pilot to fly over her birthplace, Haifa. In 1970, she tried to take over another plane. That event was part of a larger group of hijackings. During that second event, her partner died. Khaled was arrested, but she was later released in a prisoner exchange.

She had many surgeries to change her face. She did this so people would not recognize her. Today, she is still involved in politics. She lives in Jordan with her family. Many people have made art about her.

Some people see her as a hero. Others see her as a member of a group that uses violence.

Leila Khaled is a Palestinian activist and former militant. She was born on April 9, 1944, in Haifa, Mandatory Palestine. Her family lived in a time of great change. In 1948, her family had to leave their home. They moved to Lebanon during the Palestinian expulsion. Later, she joined a group called the Arab Nationalist Movement. This group was started by George Habash. The Palestinian branch of this group became the PFLP. This group works for the rights of Palestinian people.

Khaled became very famous for taking control of airplanes. This is called hijacking. In 1969, she helped hijack TWA Flight 840. The plane was flying from Rome to Tel Aviv. She asked the pilot to fly over her birthplace, Haifa. No passengers were hurt during this event. However, the group blew up the nose of the plane later. After this, she had six plastic surgeries. She changed her nose and chin to hide her face. She did not want to be seen as a famous icon.

In 1970, Khaled was involved in another event. She and a man named Patrick Argüello tried to hijack El Al Flight 219. This flight was going from Amsterdam to New York City. This was part of the Dawson's Field hijackings. The pilots did not follow the hijackers' orders. Instead, the pilots put the plane into a nosedive. During the struggle, Argüello was shot by sky marshals. He died in an ambulance. Khaled was arrested by the authorities. She was later released in a prisoner exchange for hostages.

Khaled has lived in many different places. She spent time teaching in Kuwait. She also spent time in the United Kingdom. While in a UK jail, she liked the people there. She even kept in touch with the women who guarded her. Today, she lives in Amman, Jordan. She lives there with her husband, Fayez Rashid. They have two sons named Bader and Bashar. She is also a member of the Palestinian National Council. She stays active in many political groups.

Many people around the world talk about Khaled. Some people see her as a hero for her cause. Others see her as a member of a group that uses violence. Artists have made many things about her. One artist made a portrait using 3,500 lipsticks. There is a large mural of her in Belfast, Northern Ireland. In South Africa, a street was even named after her. Musicians have also written songs about her life. Her story remains a big part of history.

Leila Khaled is a Palestinian activist and a former militant. She is a member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, also known as the PFLP. Khaled became a global figure due to her involvement in several airplane hijackings. Hijacking is the act of taking control of an aircraft by force. Her actions were part of a larger political campaign. These events made her a symbol for some and a criminal to others. Her life reflects the intense political struggles of the Middle East during the 20th century.

Khaled was born on April 9, 1944, in Haifa, which was then part of Mandatory Palestine. Her early life was marked by significant displacement. In 1948, during the Palestinian expulsion and flight, her family fled to Lebanon. Her father remained behind during this period. At age 15, she joined the Arab Nationalist Movement. This group was founded in the late 1940s by George Habash, a medical student. After the 1967 Six-Day War, the Palestinian branch of this movement became the PFLP.

Khaled first gained international attention during the hijacking of TWA Flight 840. This event occurred on August 29, 1969. The Boeing 707 was traveling from Rome to Tel Aviv. The PFLP leadership believed Yitzhak Rabin, the Israeli ambassador to the United States, might be on the flight. However, he was not on board. Khaled stated she ordered the pilot to fly over Haifa so she could see her birthplace. While no passengers were injured, the hijackers destroyed the nose section of the aircraft after everyone disembarked.

Following the 1969 hijacking, Khaled's image became widely known. A photograph by Eddie Adams showed her holding an AK-47 rifle and wearing a kaffiyeh. This kaffiyeh is a traditional Middle Eastern headdress. Because her face was so recognizable, she underwent six plastic surgery operations. These procedures changed her nose and chin. She did this to conceal her identity for future operations. She also stated she did not want to be seen as an icon.

On September 6, 1970, Khaled participated in the Dawson's Field hijackings. This was a series of simultaneous hijackings organized by the PFLP. During this event, she and Patrick Argüello attempted to hijack El Al Flight 219. The plane was flying from Amsterdam to New York City. They threatened to use grenades to gain access to the cockpit. The pilots refused to comply and instead put the plane into a nosedive. During the struggle, Argüello was shot by sky marshals and died in an ambulance. Khaled was arrested but later released in a prisoner exchange for civilian hostages.

Khaled has lived a life involving many different countries. She spent time teaching in Kuwait and was later held in a prison in the United Kingdom. She developed a connection with the policewomen who guarded her in Ealing. Throughout her life, she has remained politically active. She is a member of the Palestinian National Council. She also supports the Kurdish political movement, specifically the Peoples' Democratic Party. She has expressed that the Palestinian people lack the same balance of power found in the Arab-Israeli peace process.

Her legacy is seen in many different forms of popular culture. An artist named Amer Shomali created a portrait called "The Icon" using 3,500 lipsticks in 14 colors. In Belfast, Northern Ireland, a mural of her exists on the International Wall. The mural is based on the famous Adams photograph. In Johannesburg, South Africa, the city council moved to rename Sandton Drive to Leila Khaled Drive. Musicians have also responded to her life. The band The Teardrop Explodes released a song titled "Like Leila Khaled Said" in 1981. Her story continues to influence art, music, and political discussions worldwide.