Education
Abu El-Assal graduated from Nazareth Baptist school where he also taught.
Abu El-Assal graduated from Nazareth Baptist school where he also taught.
During his time in Nazareth he was vicar of Christ Church, Nazareth. Since retirement, Abu El-Assal has been engaged in a legal dispute with his successor and the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem over the ownership of the Bishop Riah Educational Campus, a school established by him when he was bishop. Abu El-Assal has traveled widely, raising support and finances for the Bishop Riah Educational Campus and other community programmes with a vision of peace in The Holy Land.
Abu El-Assal traveled to Australia in 2006 where he attended the Black Stump Music and Arts Festival.
Riah Abu El-Assal is married to a niece of Emile Habibi.
While at Nazareth he was a member of the PLP, the Progressive List for Peace – a joint Jewish-Arab political party which, while existing only for eight years (1984–1992) is considered to have broken many previously sacrosanct taboos and profoundly influenced subsequent Israeli politics.