Lebanese author Elias Khoury, a prominent figure in Arab literature and known for his dedication to the Palestinian cause, has passed away at the age of 76. Khoury, who was born and raised in Beirut, was an advocate for freedom of speech and a critic of dictatorships in the Middle East. Over the past five decades, he contributed articles to various Arab media outlets, garnering recognition throughout the Arab world.
Throughout his career, Khoury openly supported Palestinians and vehemently criticized Israel’s policies in Palestinian territories, earning him a reputation as a vocal political commentator. He received a PhD in social history from the University of Paris after studying at the Lebanese University. Khoury was deeply involved in Lebanon’s civil war from 1975 to 1990, during which he sustained injuries.
Khoury’s literary works, including successful novels like “Little Mountain” in 1977 and “Gate of the Sun” in 2000, shed light on the experiences of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon and the repercussions of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. His writings have been translated into multiple languages, including Hebrew, reaching a diverse audience globally.
Apart from his literary accomplishments, Khoury was an educator, teaching at prestigious universities such as New York University, Columbia, and the University of London. Until his passing, he served as the editor-in-chief of the Palestine Studies magazine and was actively involved in cultural publications in Lebanon. Elias Khoury’s legacy as a prolific writer and intellectual dedicated to advocating for social justice and political change will endure beyond his lifetime.
