Munib al-Masri

Munib Rashid al-Masri
Born	1934 Nablus
Occupation(s)	Industrial magnate, politician
Known for	Leading Palestinian industrialist; advisor to Yasser Arafat; founder of Muntada Forum; peace activist
Notable work	Founder of Muntada Forum; co-founder of Breaking the Impasse Initiative
Spouse	Angela Masri
Children	6 (Rabih, Mazen, Omar, Leith, Mai Masri, Dina)

Munib Rashid al-Masri (), often referred to as the "Duke of Nablus" and "the Godfather," (born 1934) stands as a leading Palestinian industrial magnate and the head of the al-Masri lineage.

Among his family connections are his cousin Sabih al-Masri, who holds chairmanship positions at Arab Bank and Paltel, as well as his nephews Bashar Masri, a prominent developer, and Taher al-Masri, a former prime minister of Jordan.

A trusted associate of Yasser Arafat, al-Masri has held ministerial roles within the Jordanian government and has turned down invitations to assume the roles of president or prime minister in Palestine.

Early life

Al-Masri was born in Nablus in 1934. He pursued higher education at An-Najah National University and later earned a degree from the University of Texas at Austin. During 1944, he sustained injuries inflicted by British troops.

Political life

As a close advisor to Palestinian Liberation Organization chief Yasser Arafat, al-Masri repeatedly declined proposals to take on the position of Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority.

In the early 21st century, he established the Muntada Forum, a Palestinian advocacy organization dedicated to fostering reform and encouraging dialogue among Palestinian political groups.

Peace efforts

For more than four decades, al-Masri has been committed to promoting enduring peace between Palestinians and Israelis, supporting a vision of an independent Palestine existing harmoniously alongside Israel.

In May 2013, together with Israeli technology entrepreneur Yossi Vardi, he inaugurated the Breaking the Impasse (BTI) Initiative during the World Economic Forum held at the Dead Sea. Al-Masri highlighted their mission to disrupt the prevailing deadlock by facilitating sincere negotiations between both parties.

The BTI Forum, convened under the patronage of King Abdullah of Jordan and attended by notable figures such as John Kerry, Shimon Peres, and Mahmoud Abbas, is designed to support political leaders striving for a two-state resolution. Al-Masri remains an active proponent of peace through frameworks like the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative, which proposes full recognition of Israel along with normalized diplomatic relations within a comprehensive peace agreement.

Personal

Al-Masri is married to Angela Masri; together they have six children: four sons—Rabih, Mazen, Omar, and Leith—and two daughters, Mai Masri and Dina. His cousin Sabih al-Masri is a prominent figure in Jordanian business circles and founder of the Palestine Securities Exchange.

Wealth

An Israeli publication once labeled al-Masri as the "Palestinian Rothschild." Between 1998 and 2000, he constructed a 70-acre estate featuring a palace overlooking Nablus called Beit Falasteen ("House of Palestine"), which draws architectural inspiration from Andrea Palladio’s 17th-century Villa La Rotonda. Scholar Ghada Karmi interpreted this as a deliberate move to establish influence amid Israeli settlements, pointing out that its elevated hilltop position symbolically counters settlement efforts to dominate strategic land areas.