George Saadeh and family

 George Saadeh, a native of Bethlehem, Palestine, has a B.S. degree in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Southern California. He is the principal of the Shepherd’s Field Greek Orthodox School in Beit Sahour and the Deputy Mayor of Bethlehem since elected in 2005.

 On March 23, 2005 his 12 year old daughter, Christine, was shot and killed by the Israeli army at a checkpoint in Bethlehem while she was in the back seat of the family car. He, his wife Najwa and his daughter Marian were all seriously injured as well. Since then, George and his family have been members of the Parents Circle Family Forum (PCFF) which brings together bereaved parents, both Israeli and Palestinian, who have lost children because of the conflict. The members of the Parents Circle, an organization of Jews, Christians and Muslims, have resolved to be in community with one another and work toward a just and peaceful resolution of the conflict. George’s daughter, Marian is a graduate of Bethlehem University in Palestine with a major in Sociology. She works in a family clinic and has co-edited the book, A People Without A Country – Voices From Palestine, AuthorHouse, 2011.