Arafat: The Biography [Hardcover]

Tony Walker (Author), Andrew Gowers (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 2003

In 1968 Yasser Arafat swept onto the world stage as leader of the Palestine Liberation Organisation, a machine gun in one hand and an olive branch in the other. Since 1968 he has become many things to many people - to ordinary Israelis a terrorist godfather whose desire for the complete annihilation of their state is only thinly veiled; to previous US administrations a Nobel Peace Prize-winner and the only Palestinian to do business with; to the Bush White House, a pariah once more. Based on hundreds of interviews with senior Israeli and Palestinian officials, including Arafat himself, this book examines his once triumphant transition from terrorist to statesman, and his subsequent marginalization following the tragic collapse of the Oslo Peace Accords. This book examines the charge that the bitter personal blood feud between Arafat and Israel's Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is itself a major obstacle to peace in the Middle East. It separates Arafat the man from Arafat the myth, and offers insight into the international and intelligence links, and the internal machinery, of the Palestinian regime.

Editorial Reviews

Review

'Highly readable, excellently crafted.' Sunday Telegraph

About the Author

Andrew Gowers joined the FT from Reuters in 1983 and is now its Editor. Tony Walker has been Middle-East Correspondent for the FT, and Defence and Diplomatic Correspondent for the Melbourne Age.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 490 pages
• Publisher: Virgin Books Ltd.; Revised edition (December 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1852279249
• ISBN-13: 978-1852279240
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.3 x 2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 2.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,794,713 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars He knew how to fight, but....., October 13, 2006

By 

Mr Bassil A MARDELLI "Antoun" (Riad El-SOLH , Beirut Lebanon) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Arafat: The Biography (Hardcover)

The author did not describe the drama encroaching Lebanon when the heavy exchange of artillery struck horror into the hearts of the unprepared Lebanese people in the areas of Tyre, Sidon and Beirut now congested by hundreds of thousands of refugees uprooted from the South.
PLO presence and activities (whether justified or not) in South Lebanon prompted sever retaliations from Israel to the detriment of all (Christians and Moslems) Lebanese.

At times Arafat's reactions to present events unfairly summoned up the images of historical past occurrences.
For example: In 1982 and in the middle of the raging war between PLO and Israel, Beirut was described `the next Stalingrad' - to emulate the Soviet's army victory over the Germans in 1942 -.

Like a wounded leader amid very tough and challenging circumstances, Arafat transpired prowess born of ignorance.
Arafat was the honest image of a man whose sickness of heart was mixed in reports from the foreign correspondents to show us the picture of a foxy leader mingled in fear, steadfastness and foresightedness.

Arafat's interference in Lebanon's petty politics prompted many Lebanese to emigrate. Outside the foreign consulate buildings people queued for a visa to `security and freedom', some tried to storm the premises, some guaranteed a place in the long line of waiting since mid-night, only to submit their applications to be able to leave.
The pandemonium outside and on the stairs was worse than ever especially during rainy and cold nights.

Perhaps one point of common consolation is, like the Palestinians, also the Lebanese had feeling of humiliation and unjust.
Standing at the doorsteps of foreign embassies to quit one's country was an appalling sight.
It was inhuman.
It was dishonouring.
It was offensive
It was misdemeanour.

Arafat knew how to fight a war, but the irony is that he couldn't learn how to win one.

6 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Arafat! The father of the palestinian revolution!!, January 9, 2006

By 

Mohammad Haija "M.Haija" (M.Haija) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Arafat: The Biography (Hardcover)

Arafat! The leader who knew how to move all the power of the palestinian revolution from Tunisia into the heart of palestine!!
Arafat! The only arabic leader who was elected democratically in 1969, 1985 and 1994!!
Arafat! was smart enough in to survive for more than 35 years in the jungle of all the pro-american and anti-palestinian regimes(namely: Israel, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria)!!
Arafat! THE NOBLE PRIZE WINNER !!
The ex-prime israeli minister Goldameir said: "They (the palestinians) do not exist, We (the jewish) are the only palestinians..." !! Arafat told Goldameir: "WE EXIST HERE, THERE, AND EVERYWHERE...." !!
Arafat! The military leader who won against the IDF in the battle of Karama, Beirut and finally in the humiliating defeat and withdrawal of the israeli army from the Gaza!!
Arafat! "OH MOUNTAIN!! THE WIND WILL NEVER SHAKE YOU!!"

2 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars not as good as..., September 14, 2003

By 

Seth J. Frantzman (Jerusalem, Israel) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Arafat - the Biography Pb (Paperback)

This book needs some clerification. I reccomend Harts "Arafat" and Aburishs 'Arafat' above this. This book tries to paint a picture of Arafat as a great legitimate political leader. But this book does not show the whoel picture. It makes Arafat out to be more then a terrorist and does nto weigh the effort that he was a viscious murdered of children(which he was for most of his life). THis book does take into account his many twists and turns but it probably gives Arafat too much credit and is not as interesting as other works on the man.