Naji `Allush

Since Arab and Western media ignored the death of Naji `Allush, here is a tribute to him by his friend, Palestinian writer, Rashad Abu Shawir.  It was an honest tribute, listing some errors and mistakes of `Allush, like when he early accepted to serve as secretary-general of Abu Nidal's organization, in the hope of "straightening" Abu Nidal.  `Allush also fled from Arafat (who tried to have him killed) and sought shelter and support by the Libyan and Iraqi regimes.  People don't know that `Allush in 1975-76 actually led forces in the battles in downtown Beirut during the Lebanese civil war.  He was very close to Abu Dawud.  I never knew the religion of `Allush until he died: we lived in an innocent non-sectarian times then.