Gideon Weigert is an Israeli Journalist specializing in Arab affairs.
His interest in Arab life dated back to the mid 1930s, when he began a six-year intensive study of the Arabic language and culture, Islam and its teachings. "Living in" with Arab families, first in Haifa, then in Jerusalem, brought him to the Arab National College "A-Nahda" from where he graduated as the first Jewish student of an Arab teachers' seminary. There he established deep friendships with Arab youths from all over the country that were maintained afterwards.
Between 1942-1945, Weigert concentrated on Oriental Studies at the Hebrew University, Jerusalem, after which he began his career as a journalist specializing in Arab Affairs. At the time he became a staff membeGideon Weigert is an Israeli Journalist specializing in Arab affairs.
His interest in Arab life dated back to the mid 1930s, when he began a six-year intensive study of the Arabic language and culture, Islam and its teachings. "Living in" with Arab families, first in Haifa, then in Jerusalem, brought him to the Arab National College "A-Nahda" from where he graduated as the first Jewish student of an Arab teachers' seminary. There he established deep friendships with Arab youths from all over the country that were maintained afterwards.
Between 1942-1945, Weigert concentrated on Oriental Studies at the Hebrew University, Jerusalem, after which he began his career as a journalist specializing in Arab Affairs. At the time he became a staff memberm of "The Palestine (now The Jerualem) Post" where he wrote on the Arabs and Druse in the Holy Land.
After the Six Day War, Weigert resumed his ties with friends and classmates in the occupied areas, subsequently he became more and more involved in research in these areas.
On May 1, 1970, despite the official Israeli boycott, Weigert went to Geneva where he testified for three hours before the three-man U/N. Committee set up to investigate the Practices Affecting Human Rights of the Population in the Occupied Territories.
After that time, he completed a one year research study on "the Cooperative Movement in Judea, Samaria and the Gaza Strip; 1948-69," and afterwards, continued his research work in the territories.