Mustafa Abbasi
Mustafa Abbasi | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1962 Jish, Israel |
| Occupation(s) | Historian, Professor |
| Years active | 2000–present |
| Known for | History of Palestinian society, Arab municipalities in the Galilee, Arab populations within Israel |
| Notable work | Tiberias and its Arab residents during the British Mandate 1918–1948; Arabs and Jews in a Mixed City: Safed during the Mandate Period 1918–1948; The Cities of Galilee during the War of 1948: Four Cities and Four Stories |
Mustafa Abbasi (; born 1962) is an Arab Israeli historian and full professor whose expertise lies in the history of Palestinian society, Arab municipalities in the Galilee region, and Arab populations within Israel. He is recognized as a foremost authority on the social and urban development of northern Palestine, with particular emphasis on the Late Ottoman era and the British Mandate period. His scholarship combines archival research with urban sociological perspectives.
Academic career
A native of Jish, Abbasi completed his doctorate in Middle Eastern History at the University of Haifa in 2000. He also holds both M.A. and B.A. degrees in Middle Eastern history and geography. Since 2000, he has been a faculty member at Tel-Hai Academic College, where he has risen to the rank of full professor, led the Department of Multidisciplinary Studies as chair, and fulfilled duties as dean of students. Additionally, he has delivered lectures at Kinneret Academic College and the University of Haifa.
Research and contributions
Abbasi’s scholarly work centers on:
- The evolution of Arab towns in the Galilee under Ottoman and British administrations
- The impact of the 1948 conflict on Arab urban centers and communities in northern Palestine
- Interactions between urban and rural areas during the Mandate era
- The patterns of Arab-Jewish coexistence and their deterioration under British governance
- The participation of Palestinian volunteers in the British military during World War II
- The influence of Arab elites, prominent families, and local dignitaries in political affairs
- Rural settlements from the Mamluk and Ottoman periods across the Galilee and Golan regions
His analyses focus on significant sites such as Safed, Nazareth, Tiberias, Samakh, Beisan, and Jish, while also exploring wider political, religious, and social contexts within the Galilee.
Books
- Abbasi, M. (2021). Tiberias and its Arab residents during the British Mandate 1918–1948. Yad Izhak Ben-Zvi. (Hebrew)
- Abbasi, M. (2015). Arabs and Jews in a Mixed City: Safed during the Mandate Period 1918–1948. Yad Izhak Ben-Zvi. (Hebrew)
- Abbasi, M. (2014). The Cities of Galilee during the War of 1948: Four Cities and Four Stories. LAP Lambert Academic Publishing.
- Abbasi, M. (2005). Safed in the Mandate Period: Social and Political Aspects. Institute for Palestinian Studies. (Arabic)
- Abbasi, M. (1991). History of the Touqan Family in the District of Nablus in the 18th and 19th Centuries. Al-Mashreq. (Arabic)
Edited volumes
- Abbasi, M. et al. (2024). Galilee Studies Vol. 4: A Tribute to Haim Goren. Tel-Hai College.
- Abbasi, M. et al. (2018). Living in Mandatory Palestine: Personal Narratives of Resilience of Galilee during the Mandate Period. Routledge.
- Abbasi, M. et al. (2009–2018). New Studies of the Galilee (Vols. 1–3). Tel-Hai College.
Academic recognition and teaching
Abbasi has been awarded numerous research grants, notably from the Israel Science Foundation for his investigations into rural settlements in the Golan throughout Mamluk and Ottoman times. He mentors graduate students researching Arab society in Palestine and instructs courses covering Middle Eastern history topics such as The British Mandate in Palestine, Palestinian national movements, Arab village life during the Mandate era, and minority populations within the Middle East.
Public involvement and symposiums
Abbasi is a regular speaker at global scholarly gatherings and has delivered lectures at institutions such as Harvard University, SOAS London, the University of Haifa, along with numerous historical organizations. He leads the public committee that advocates for Arab community interests within the Council for the Preservation of Israel Heritage Sites.