Ghanem Bibi/ Palestine, Co-founder, Arab Resource Collective (ARC)
And His Wife Laila Jarrar

8 August 2026

To the friends of Youssef Hajjar,

Yesterday, Tuesday, July 4, 2026, at noon, Youssef was laid to rest in “his  village”, Fyti, which lies 650 meters high in the mountains of Paphos. Youssef and Kate had been seasonal residents of the village for 26 years.

After some waiting, the church permitted his burial in the village cemetery. He was the third non-Greek-Orthodox resident to find his final resting place in a special section of the cemetery, on an edge overlooking magnificent hills and valleys. The ceremony was simple and attended by some of Fyti’s residents and close friends, as well as old friends—both residents and visitors—from outside Cyprus. The village church was not given for a funeral ceremony, however a priest was there to say blessings beside the grave. Kate’s reflective eulogy was read by the manager of the funeral parlour. Ghanem then read a poem by Mahmoud Darwish—in Arabic, as Kate had wished.

Following local tradition, the participants who gathered beside the grave under two umbrellas took farewell from their friend with a handful of earth and colorful flowers, had a sip of red wine in his memory which was served around table on which there was a small box for each containing a piece of bread, two olives and a small piece of halloumi cheese.

The gathering then moved to the terrace of Kate and Youssef’s home in the village, personal memories and anecdotes of Youssef were recalled stories and “little escapades” from his life, especially his years in the village and his warm relationships with its residents. Traditional bread and wine were further shared to honor his memory.

May his soul rest in peace and in good memory.