Arafat: A Political Biography

Abstract

This is a detailed account of Arafat's struggle for survival and justice for his people. It is written in full co-operation with Arafat himself and other top PLO leaders. The highlight of the book is a lengthy account, mainly in Arafat's own words, of the inside story of the events which led up to the historic handshake, of the historic moment itself, and of the aftermath. The author's special relationship with Arafat goes back to 1979 when he was trusted to be the link man in a secret and exploratory dialogue between Arafat and certain Israeli leaders, whose principal was Shimon Peres. This book has grown out of the author's biography of Arafat, first published in 1984. The earlier material is revised, with revealing new insights added, and the story is updated to the present. It is a most dramatic and exciting book which, if offered as a work of fiction, would probably have been rejected on the grounds that the tale it has to tell was too incredible to be true.