JORDAN: FORMER HIJACKER LEILA KHALED PLANS RETURN TO HER HOMELAND

(14 Apr 1996) English/Nat

Former hijacker Leila Khaled - whose exploits made her famous throughout the world - is planning to return to her homeland Sunday.

She is going back to take part in a meeting of the Palestinian parliament-in-exile.

In an interview with A-P-T-V, Khaled spoke about her planned return to her homeland - almost 50 years after she left it as a child refugee.

Leila Khaled who once hijacked planes and became a pin-up for a generation of radicals now lives a quieter life in the Jordanian capital Amman.

She left her homeland when she was four years old - now 52, she is preparing to return to as a delegate to the Palestinian National Council

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"I am intending to leave on the 14th on Sunday to the West Bank, but for the Gaza Strip I think up til now it is not allowed - those who are coming to the West Bank to go to Gaza Strip but it depends upon the Israelis I think."

SUPER CAPTION: Leila Khaled, Member of Palestine National Council

But she says her return is tinged with concern.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"I hope they will allow me to get in, because I have read in the newspapers and on the media that they have made new conditions for me - that I have to declare that I am against terrorism, with the peace process and denying Hamas operations. (cutaway) I really refused that because our 'allowance' is unconditioned - to go there."

"I am very excited, but I don't feel all the happiness that I dreamed of years ago that I am going back to Palestine. It is because I got a permission - an individual permission - and it is not practising our rights as a people for the return."

(Cutaway) "Since 1948 I was driven out with my family, I didn't see Palestine except once on the plane when I participated in hijacking it, I just flew over Palestine and saw it, that's all. That was the first time"

(Cutaway) "I stopped using arms since 1982 after our .. getting out of Lebanon, but after that I moved with others to Syria. And of course - as a mother - I have now two children. I got one in 1982 - the second in 1985 which means more commitment to my children, also. Mostly my work is based on working in the women's field."

SUPER CAPTION: Leila Khaled, Member of Palestine National Council

Leila Khaled does not know what will happen when she arrives at the border between Jordan and Israel.

But though she may cross the bridge into the Palestinian controlled West Bank - she won't be going home - her family's house in Haifa is now part of Israel and firmly off limits.

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