Palestinian lawyer and writer’s archive preserved at Edinburgh University

Mr Shehadeh, a prominent lawyer and writer, began keeping his diaries in 1967, when he was 15, and has since recorded an estimated five million words covering almost 60 years.

The physical collection has been preserved by the University of Edinburgh’s Centre for Research Collections.

“I am happy and relieved that my and my father’s archives are now safe and will be published in the interests of truth and justice,” Mr Shehadeh said.

“I have long been aware of Israel’s destruction of Palestinian archives in Beirut, Jerusalem and elsewhere, and of the importance of preserving Palestine’s cultural heritage.” He added: “I consider Edinburgh my second home, and I am profoundly grateful to the universities of Edinburgh and Exeter, where these papers are now safely deposited.”

The University of Edinburgh said the archive had for many years been stored at a property in Ramallah, in the central West Bank.

Following Israeli military operations in Gaza and the spread of violence to the West Bank, Mr Shehadeh sought to ensure the collection was protected from loss.

Under the direction of UK-based writer and journalist Matthew Teller, members of the project team in Palestine worked discreetly to assess and preserve the collection and secure archival materials in safe locations.

The work included digitising paper items and transporting the entirety of the physical archive safely to the UK.

“Raja Shehadeh’s archive is a testament to Palestinian history, memory and intellectual life, and we recognise the great responsibility academia has in safeguarding this body of knowledge,” Dr Kholoud Al-ajarma, deputy director of the University of Edinburgh’s Alwaleed Centre, said.

“By preserving and making the archive accessible to students, researchers and the wider public, we seek to support a richer and more inclusive understanding of Palestine, while advancing our commitment to decolonising knowledge and ensuring that marginalised voices, histories and lived experiences are represented within the global academic record.”

The collection will be operated under the university’s policy of maintaining an open and transparent archive accessible to researchers, scholars and members of the public.

At an event hosted by the university’s Alwaleed Centre on Thursday, Mr Shehadeh will read extracts from his diaries.