In September, John DaBeet traveled to New York City for the General Assembly of World Leaders at the United Nations.
DaBeet is the President of the Palestinian American Leadership in the United States. He traveled to the United Nations to meet with the Palestinian President and to speak before the Palestinian American Leaders meeting.
DaBeet with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas
Around 70 of us attended that meeting,” DaBeet said. “I was the one who spoke on behalf of all of the organizations also during that meeting.”
He also met with the Palestinian Prime Minister to discuss different issues such as economics and how to improve the economy in Palestine.
“One of the things I think is really neat about the whole experience is sometimes we take for granted, we don’t know what goes on behind the scenes,” DaBeet said. “But being in New York that week where world leaders from all over the world are there with their delegations – just dealing with the security issue for example every time you’re moving from place to place.”
DaBeet also speaks with his other Palestinian American Leadership members about the political climate between Palestine and Israel. There has been an ongoing conflict between the two groups for almost 75 years. He hopes one day the Palestinian people will have freedom to govern themselves.
“This is the longest historic political conflict in the history of mankind,” DaBeet said.
DaBeet works with the U.S. Policy and Council as the Palestinian representative in the United States. He also gets phone calls from the White House from time to time about events in Palestine.
Dabeet uses his experiences to tell his students at MCC to set goals for themselves, get involved and set the sky as their limit.
“It’s important to get them to see the important role they might play in the future because today’s students are tomorrow’s future leaders,” DaBeet said. “We need to get them to understand that, to envision that at an early age so they can start working hard and as I said it might take me many years. It took me many years to get where I’m at today and I believe that makes me who I am now.”
Besides being involved with the Palestinian American Leadership, DaBeet is a board member for Sister Cities International representing the State of Iowa. He has helped cities in the United States establish relationships across the world.
DaBeet was born in Jerusalem. He graduated from Bethlehem University and immigrated to the United States 35 years ago. He moved to Muscatine in 1995 to take a position teaching at Muscatine Community College. He teaches Business and Social Sciences mainly Economics and Statistics.
When he moved to the U.S., he never thought he would be able to continue to advocate for his home country or be on the board at Sister Cities International.
“It’s a unique experience to have,” DaBeet said. “Never thought in my whole life that one day I would be involved with such a thing but thank God for everything.”
He is also thankful for the support from his wife and children, his parents and siblings and everyone else who continues to support him.
