Industrial entrepreneur and community leader; board member and Secretary-General of Nablus Chamber of Commerce (1950-65); member, Municipal Council (1951-69); Mayor of Nablus (1963-69). His distinguished leadership in the early phase of the occupation was decisive in reversing the exodus of rural population from frontier villages of the Jenin, Tulkarm and Qalqiliah triangle, and in maintaining solidarity among West Bank mayors; his forthright style of dealing with the occupation authorities set an example which strengthened the mayor's resolve to stand up to the excesses of the occupation and express resistance to the various violations of Palestinian civil and human rights.