Wajih Al Madani ( ar, وجيه المدني; 1921–1991) was a Palestinian major general who was the first commander-in-chief of the Palestine Liberation Army (PLA). He also served as the commander of the Kuwaiti security forces and director of the Kuwait Armed Forces.

Biography

Al Madani was born in Acre in 1921. He was a corporal in an Arab force during World War II under British mandate. After the war he attended the Sarafand British Military College in Palestine graduating as a

second lieutenant Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces, comparable to NATO OF-1 rank. Australia The rank of second lieutenant existed in the military forces of the Australian colonies and Australian Army until ...

in 1946. He was tasked to train the

Saudi Arabian army Royal Saudi Land Forces ( ar, القُوَّاتُ البَرِّيَّةُ المَلَكِيَّة السُّعُودِيَّة, Al-Quwwat al-Bariyah al-Malakiyah as-Su'udiyah) is the land warfare service branch of the Armed Forces of Saudi Arab ...

from 1946 to 1947. He also trained 85 Palestinians together with Hazim Khalidi, and this group led the defense of Palestine against the

Zionists Zionism ( he, צִיּוֹנוּת ''Tsiyyonut'' after ''Zion'') is a nationalist movement that espouses the establishment of, and support for a homeland for the Jewish people centered in the area roughly corresponding to what is known in Jew ...

in 1948. Al Madani settled in Kuwait in 1952 where he trained the Kuwaiti army and was involved in the establishment of its units. He also served as an officer for the Kuwaiti Royal Guard and became a major general. Al Madani was appointed the commander-in-chief of the PLA on 24 September 1964 when it was established by the

Palestine Liberation Organization The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO; ar, منظمة التحرير الفلسطينية, ') is a Palestinian nationalism, Palestinian nationalist political and militant organization founded in 1964 with the initial purpose of establ ...

. He was a lieutenant colonel before his appointment and became a lieutenant general with his new post. In the initial period the PLA was based in Cairo. Al Madani was also head of a military group called ''Heroes of Return'' which started an armed struggle in October 1966. This group was attached to the PLA. He served as the commander-in-chief of the PLA until 1969 when he resigned from the post. His resignation partly occurred as a result of the Syrians interference on the PLA activities. During his term as the PLA commander Al Madani was also subject to the pressure of the Egyptian chief-of-staff Muhammad Fawzi. Al Madani was replaced by Abd al Razzaq Yahya in the post a few months after his resignation. Al Madani returned to Kuwait and was named as the commander of the Kuwaiti security forces in 1970. He was later appointed director of the Kuwaiti Armed Forces. His tenure in the Kuwaiti army lasted until his retirement in 1984. Al Madani died in 1991.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Madani, Wajih 1921 births 1991 deaths Palestinian expatriates in Kuwait People from Acre, Israel Arab people in Mandatory Palestine Major generals Palestine Liberation Organization members