Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Friday, May 09, 2025

Palestinian tycoon shot by British forces as boy launches bid to redress colonial-era abuses 

Palestinian tycoon shot by British forces as boy launches bid to redress colonial-era abuses 

The world’s richest Palestinian, who was shot by British forces as a boy, has launched an attempt to win redress for alleged crimes committed during colonial rule.
Munib Al-Masri, 88, who was shot by British forces in 1944, earlier this year drafted a 300-page document on the alleged crimes and abuses committed by colonial forces in Palestine between 1917 and 1948.

“I was walking with a march and the soldier shot me in my leg, even now my leg hurts from the injury,” Al-Masri told The Times. “I (barely) survived death seven times, and it is a miracle that I’m still alive to file this lawsuit,” he added.

Al-Masri told the BBC earlier this year that British rule and the division of the Palestinian mandate in 1948 between Israel and the Arab territories under the Balfour Declaration affected him deeply in his adult life.

“I saw how people were harassed…We had no protection whatsoever and nobody to defend us,” he said.

Al-Masri also wants to collect 100,000 signatures for a petition demanding that Britain reviews the declaration, due to claims it was never ratified by parliament, The Times reported.

He wants at least an apology for the way the British government crushed protests during the mandate period, including the deaths of scores of villagers in a 1938 massacre in Al-Bassa and the killing of 11 people in Halhul.

Ben Emmerson, a British lawyer, and Luis Moreno Ocampo, a former chief prosecutor at the International Criminal Court, are working with Al-Masri.

Emmerson told the BBC earlier this year that “shocking crimes committed by certain elements of the British mandatory forces” were carried out “systematically on the Palestinian population,” adding that even during the time the crimes were carried out, they would have been seen as breaches of international law.

The Ministry of Defence said it was aware of “historical allegations” and that any evidence would be “reviewed thoroughly.”
Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Common Sense Returns to Britain's Legal System: UK Supreme Court Declares a Woman Is… a Woman
Warren Buffett to Step Down as Berkshire CEO After Nearly 60 Years
Trump Shares AI-Generated Image of Himself as… Pope, Prompting Outrage Reaction
Amazon Launches Satellite Internet Service Amidst Competition with SpaceX
The Rush to the White Gold: Global Investment Surge in Natural Hydrogen Exploration
Trump Administration Removes National Security Adviser Mike Waltz Amid Signal Chat Controversy
Liverpool Clinches Record-Equalling 20th English League Title Under Arne Slot
Massive Explosion at Iran's Bandar Abbas Port Linked to Suspicious Chemical Shipments
Pope Francis Laid to Rest in Rome as World Leaders Attend Funeral
Not Child’s Play: How Competitive Gaming Became a Global Economic Empire
California Surpasses Japan to Become the World’s Fourth-Largest Economy
Former U.S. Congressman George Santos sentenced to eighty-seven months for wide-ranging fraud
Israel Considers Limited Strikes on Iran's Nuclear Facilities Amid Diplomatic Efforts
Saudi Arabia Offers Max Verstappen Unprecedented Deal to Join Aston Martin
Global Pistachio Shortage Amid Rising Demand for 'Dubai Chocolate'
IMF Predicts No Global Recession Amid Trade Tensions
Worldwide Markets Decline as U.S.-China Trade Frictions Intensify
OpenAI Lands Unprecedented $40 Billion Investment
Removing the Political Adversary is Dismantling What's Remaining of Turkey's Economy.
Ex-FIFA President and French Football Icon Acquitted of Corruption Allegations
White House Investigates Security Breach After Journalist Accidentally Added to Secret Yemen Strike Chat
Volunteers in Jeddah Ensure No One Goes Hungry During Ramadan Iftar
New Restaurant Opens in Makkah's Iconic Clock Tower for Ramadan Iftar
Saudi Arabia's Project Masam Removes 552 Houthi Mines in Yemen
Saudi Arabia Fines Over 400 Foreign Trucks for Regulatory Violations
Saudi National Campaign for Charitable Work Reports Significant Donations in Ramadan
Historic Al-Hosn Al-Asfal Mosque Restored in Asir as Part of National Heritage Initiative
KSrelief Expands Humanitarian Efforts in Syria, Sudan, and Lebanon
Saudi Arabia Advocates for Global Water Cooperation at Forum
Madinah Governor Tours Islamic Arts Biennale in Jeddah
Saudi Foreign Minister in Cairo to Lead Meeting on Gaza Developments
Recognition of Saudi and Pakistani Entrepreneurs at Riyadh Ceremony
UAE Announces $1.4 Trillion Investment Plan in the United States
Saudi Arabia Innovates in Soil Quality and Water Conservation
Governor of Taif Engages with Rose and Aromatic Plants Cooperative
Saudi Food and Drug Authority Enhances Preparations for Hajj Season
Saudi Arabia Distributes Aid to Yemen and Romania
Restoration of Historic Al-Qalaah Mosque in Riyadh Underlines Heritage Preservation Efforts
Saudi Arabia Arrests Over 25,000 for Immigration Violations in One Week
UAE’s ADQ and Energy Capital Partners Announce $25 Billion Energy Venture in the U.S.
KSrelief Launches Extensive Ramadan Food Aid Initiative
Ramadan Celebrations Revitalize Historic Jeddah
Makkah Authorities Urge Worshippers to Follow Crowd Management Guidelines
Direct Flights Between Dammam and Damascus Reestablished for Syrian Residents
Saudi Main Index Rises to Close at 11,760 Amid Mixed Market Performance
Moroccan Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch Visits Prophet's Mosque in Madinah
Cultural Development Fund Hosts Third Annual Storytellers Event in Riyadh
Investment Surge in Fintech, Gaming, and Health Care Across MENA Region
Surging Prices for Religious Tourism in Saudi Arabia Amid Ramadan Rush
Middle Eastern Airlines’ Fleet Projected to Surge Above Global Growth Rates
×