The secret quest to preserve Palestinian writer Raja Shehadeh's diaries

Billy Odell Tucker-Robinson Founder & Host — Banking With Billy Network • Intelligence Network • Data Science • AI Research • World News
Published: 2026-09-12T10:10:37.067Z • Permanent link

Raja Shehadeh, a prominent Palestinian writer and human rights advocate, has been documenting Israel's occupation of the West Bank since its inception in 1967. His meticulously kept diaries, spanning over five decades, have been a crucial source of information for researchers, journalists, and human rights organizations. However, fearing that his archive might be confiscated or destroyed by Israeli authorities, Shehadeh secretly relocated his diaries to Scotland in the 1990s.

In 2011, Shehadeh's diaries were acquired by the University of Edinburgh's Special Collections department, where they are now housed and preserved. The diaries, comprising over 200 volumes, contain detailed accounts of Shehadeh's experiences under occupation, including his interactions with Israeli military personnel, Palestinian collaborators, and other key figures. The diaries also provide a unique insight into the daily life of Palestinians living under occupation, shedding light on the complexities of the conflict.

Shehadeh's decision to relocate his diaries to Scotland was reportedly made in collaboration with his wife, who was aware of the potential risks involved. The couple chose Scotland as the destination due to its reputation for neutrality and its strong tradition of supporting human rights causes. The diaries' new home at the University of Edinburgh has been welcomed by scholars and researchers, who see them as a valuable resource for understanding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The relocation of Shehadeh's diaries to Scotland has significant implications for the Global Infrastructure domain, particularly in the fields of conflict resolution and human rights research. Companies such as IBM and Microsoft, which have invested heavily in AI-powered conflict resolution tools, may benefit from the diaries' unique insights into the complexities of occupation. Researchers at institutions like the Brookings Institution and the Council on Foreign Relations may also find the diaries' accounts of daily life under occupation to be a valuable resource for developing more effective strategies for conflict resolution.

The diaries' preservation also has broader implications for the global economy, as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is a major driver of instability in the region. Markets such as the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange and the Dubai Financial Market may be impacted by the diaries' revelations, particularly if they shed light on the role of international companies in perpetuating the occupation. Policy makers at institutions such as the United Nations and the European Union may also need to reassess their approaches to conflict resolution, given the diaries' detailed accounts of the occupation's human cost.

Raja Shehadeh's diaries are just one example of the many efforts underway to document and preserve the human experience of conflict. Similar initiatives, such as the Iraq War Logs and the Syria Archive, have provided valuable insights into the complexities of war and occupation. However, these initiatives often face significant challenges, including funding constraints and the risks associated with preserving sensitive information.