In the article, the Palestinian diplomat described the legendary Vietnamese commander as both a military icon and a personal source of inspiration.
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General Vo Nguyen Giap and Ambassador Saadi Salama at Noi Bai International Airport, June 1989, when Ambassador Salama was serving as Deputy Ambassador of the State of Palestine to Vietnam (File photo) |
Salama's connection with Vietnam began long before he first set foot in the country. As a 12-year-old boy growing up in a remote Palestinian town, he closely followed international news through newspapers, his only window to the outside world. In the years leading up to the Paris Peace Conference, Vietnam dominated global headlines. Witnessing the Vietnamese people's struggle to defend their homeland, freedom, and territorial integrity, the young Palestinian naturally sympathized with their cause.
Determined to learn more, he searched through his uncle's modest library for every available book about Vietnam. It was there that he first encountered the name of General Vo Nguyen Giap, the military strategist behind the historic Dien Bien Phu Victory and a figure who had become a global symbol of national liberation.
To Salama, General Giap was far more than an exceptional military commander. Rising from a history teacher to one of the world's most celebrated generals without formal military training, he helped lead Vietnam to victory against both French colonialists and American imperialists, demonstrating that a nation's determination could overcome superior military power. His strategic vision, steadfast leadership, and ability to unite military thinking with political ideals and the pursuit of national independence made him one of the defining figures of the 20th century.
Yet it was the General's character, rather than his battlefield achievements, that left the deepest impression. Salama admired his humility, modest lifestyle, and unwavering belief that the people, not any individual commander, were the true architects of victory. Those qualities, he noted, earned General Giap the enduring respect and affection of the Vietnamese people.
Fate eventually brought Salama to Vietnam. While serving as Deputy Head of the Palestinian diplomatic mission in Hanoi between 1989 and 1992, he had the opportunity to meet General Giap during visits by then Palestinian President Yasser Arafat. Expecting to meet a decorated military general, Salama instead encountered a man of remarkable simplicity, calmness, and humility. The General listened attentively, and carried himself with quiet confidence, never needing to recount his achievements because his life itself represented an extraordinary chapter of history.
Those meetings deepened the diplomat's admiration, which only grew stronger after he returned to Vietnam as Ambassador of the State of Palestine in late 2009. He came to regard General Giap as the embodiment of a national liberation leader who placed unwavering faith in the strength of determination, resilience, and the unity of the people.
When General Giap passed away, Salama was on vacation abroad with his children. Upon hearing the news, he immediately returned to Hanoi to attend the state funeral and pay his final respects to a man he considered one of the world's greatest leaders of national liberation. During the funeral, he promised the General's family that he would introduce his legacy to Arab readers by translating books about his life and achievements.
Honoring that commitment, the ambassador completed the Arabic translation of “Dien Bien Phu – 5 dieu ky dieu chua tung co trong lich su chien tranh” (Dien Bien Phu – Five Miracles Never Before Seen in the History of Warfare), making it one of the first books translated directly from Vietnamese into Arabic. He described the project as a modest effort to introduce Vietnam's history and its contributions to humanity to readers across the Arab world.
As he concludes a 42-year diplomatic career marked by dedication and perseverance, Salama said he was deeply honored to represent the State of Palestine in posthumously awarding General Vo Nguyen Giap the Grand Collar, the highest decoration of the State of Palestine.
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On behalf of General Vo Nguyen Giap's family, Vo Hong Nam, General Vo Nguyen Giap’s son, receives the Grand Collar, posthumously awarded by the State of Palestine. |
For Salama, the ceremony marked the completion of a journey that had begun more than half a century earlier, when a Palestinian boy first followed Vietnam's struggle through newspapers. That journey ultimately came full circle with his service as Palestine's ambassador in Hanoi, where he was able to convey the Palestinian people's sentiment and gratitude to the family of the man who had inspired him since childhood.
Salama believes General Vo Nguyen Giap's legacy extends far beyond Vietnam's borders. In his view, the General was not only the architect of historic military victories but also an enduring symbol of patriotism, humility, and unwavering faith in the strength of nations striving for freedom. He affirmed that he would always hold General Vo Nguyen Giap and the Vietnamese people in the highest respect, admiration, and deepest gratitude.
Translated by Tran Hoai