Antonius, George (1892-1942), was a Palestinian writer and political activist. In January 1939, he was selected as one of the delegates to represent Arab interests at a conference on the future of Palestine. Antonius was later appointed secretary general to the Arab delegations. The conference, which was held in London, lasted six weeks and ended in a deadlock.
Antonius is chiefly remembered as the author of The Arab Awakening, published in 1938. This early history of the Arab national movement focuses on the impact of World War I (1914-1918) and the years that followed. Antonius traveled widely to meet people involved in the events he was describing. He was also the first writer to use both Arabic and European sources in an attempt to produce a full and balanced account. He was born in Alexandria, Egypt.
