Yasir Arafat: A Political Biography
Average customer rating: 3 out of 5 stars
  • He Never Missed an Opportunity to Miss an Opportunity
  • extremely biased
  • Very good book about a very bad man
  • Dull & polemical
  • lies
Yasir Arafat: A Political Biography
Barry Rubin , and Judith Colp Rubin
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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  3. The Mystery of Arafat The Mystery of Arafat
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ASIN: 0195181271

Book Description

Yasir Arafat stands as one of the most resilient, recognizable and controversial political figures of modern times. The object of unrelenting suspicion, steady admiration and endless speculation, Arafat has occupied the center stage of Middle East politics for almost four decades. Yasir Arafat is the most comprehensive political biography of this remarkable man. Forged in a tumultuous era of competing traditionalism, radicalism, Arab nationalism, and Islamist forces, the Palestinian movement was almost entirely Arafat's creation, and he became its leader at an early age. Arafat took it through a dizzying series of crises and defeats, often of his own making, yet also ensured that it survived, grew, and gained influence. Disavowing terrorism repeatedly, he also practiced it constantly. Arafat's elusive behavior ensured that radical regimes saw in him a comrade in arms, while moderates backed him as a potential partner in peace. After years of devotion to armed struggle, Arafat made a dramatic agreement with Israel that let him return to his claimed homeland and transformed him into a legitimized ruler. Yet at the moment of decision at the Camp David summit and afterward, when he could have achieved peace and a Palestinian state, he sacrificed the prize he had supposedly sought for the struggle he could not live without. Richly populated with the main events and dominant leaders of the Middle East, this detailed and analytical account by Barry Rubin and Judith Colp Rubin follows Arafat as he moves to Kuwait, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, Tunisia, and finally to Palestinian-ruled soil. It shows him as he rewrites his origins, experiments with guerrilla war, develops a doctrine of terrorism, fights endless diplomatic battles, and builds a movement, constantly juggling states, factions, and world leaders. Whole generations and a half-dozen U.S. presidents have come and gone over the long course of Arafat's career. But Arafat has outlasted them all, spanning entire eras, with three constants always present: he has always survived, he has constantly seemed imperiled, and he has never achieved his goals. While there has been no substitute for Arafat, the authors conclude, Arafat has been no substitute for a leader who could make peace.

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars He Never Missed an Opportunity to Miss an Opportunity.......2006-11-07

I suppose I can be forgiven for being just a bit skeptical of a book about a radical Arab written by a couple American Jews. Could it ever have any claim to objectivity? Maybe in an American bookstore, I would have been inclined to pass it up. But I live in Beijing, China, where such books don't grow on trees. A Chinese friend put the book in my hands. I have been a bit puzzled and curious about the way Arafat is viewed as a revolutionary hero in China, yet China strives to maintain good relations with Israel, a nation whose very existence Arafat never accepted. So I read the book.

Actually, I was pleasantly surprised. I'm not saying that the book is totally objective in every respect. But it is a very well-written discussion of the relationship problems Arafat had, both with Israel, and with the leaders of the Arab nations, who were supposed to be his supporters. Bottom line: Arafat didn't get along with anyone.

In one sense, Arafat made this book for the writers, because he was so consistent in his complete inability to come to some kind of workable agreement with Israel. His whole life and work epitomized Abba Eban's statement about the Palestinians, who "never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity." Personally, I don't think the statement is entirely fair when applied to the Palestinians, but it certainly is an appropriate statement about Arafat, who never gave up fighting the nation with whom he, more than any Arab before him, had the opportunity to make peace. If the peacemakers are blessed, Arafat is among the most cursed of all men. So how did such an ornery cuss gain such prominence? Part of his success is certainly due to his knack for self-promotion, and the brazenness of his contempt for Israel. But I must also admit that I fear much of his prominence came from the lack of regard for the plight of the Palestinians by Israel. Sarah didn't want Ishmael in her house, so the bondwoman had to leave. Israel seems to have the same feeling about the Palestinians. They shouldn't be part of the family. Israelis often protest when I talk about this, because (and they are right about this) Palestinians living in Israel have the same rights as Jews. The problem, though, is that many of the Palestinians do not live in Israel proper, and thus are not entitled to those rights. And the Israelis certainly have not invited them all in. That, really, is the point. I don't want to get carried away on that point, but it has to be mentioned in order to keep this in perspective. What I mean is that we should not blame Arafat for all the problems between the Palestinians and the Jews. He did not create the situation he so hopelessly mismanaged. Arafat's problem is that he just could not bring himself to accept any arrangement that allowed Israel to exist.

This is a good book. It is very negative, but I don't think unfairly so. I am assuming that this book is not your only source of information on the whole Israeli--Palestinian problem. I do feel that the Israelis have not cared enough about the plight of the Palestinians. This book does not stand alone. There needs to be much more exploration into the problem as a whole. But as far as Arafat himself is concerned, the authors did an excellent job of showing how much he stood in the way of progress on this issue, and the extent to which he was responsible for promoting violence even to the end of his life. As historians, their job is not finished. But as prosecutors, they won their case hands down.

1 out of 5 stars extremely biased.......2005-08-15

This was an extremely biased account of Arafat and should not be ready by anyone seeking an unbiased biography. Throughout the book, the authors repeatedly condemn Arafat's refusal to agree to a peace deal, even though every deal offered him fell short of Israel's compliance with international law and withdrawal from Palestinian territories it occupied in 1967. While Arafat had many legitimate failures and weaknesses, blaming him for Israel's occupation is laughable and that seems to be the sole objective of this book.

On p. 162, the authors explain that, "...many Palestinians did not believe Israel would ever accept reasonable terms and that the peace process was a trick to ensure their permanent subjugation. While such beliefs were reinforced by specific Israeli actions...they far exceeded the evidence. To think that [Israeli government] wanted to keep control over the West Bank and Gaza Strip permanently was a serious misconception, which continued to have enormous negative consequences for Palestinian interests." I found it incredible for this claim to be made without addressing Israeli settlements and Israel's systematic support of them. Illegal settlement construction has been funded by the Israeli government and Israeli officials indicated they have no intention of ever relinquishing all settlements on occupied territory. I therefore disagree with the authors' claim that Palestinians' beliefs far exceeded the evidence and that it was a misconception to perceive permanent settlement construction as Israel's permanent control of the West Bank and Gaza.

On p. 248, the authors state, "By signing some variation on the offers made by Barak and Clinton, Arafat could have ended the occupation, removed all settlements from Palestinian-ruled territory, freed prisoners in Israeli hands, and controlled the al-Aqsa mosque. By refusing to do so he was ensuring that all these problems continued into the indefinite future." The truth is that Arafat was never presented an offer that would have removed all settlements from Palestinian land. Notice the use of the words "Palestinian-ruled territory." Israel proposed to annex the larger settlements on occupied land, placing them into "Israeli-ruled territory" and Arafat rightfully said no. There is no mention of the fact that the occupation consists of war crimes, that the settlements violate international law, and that Israel's colonization-like behavior ensures that these problems will continue into the indefinite future. The authors' bias consistently manipulates facts to make them appear consistent with their views of Arafat and the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

The last two chapters of the book are dedicated to spinning an argument of why the continued occupation is solely the fault of Arafat and not Israel. According to the authors, Arafat could have ended the occupation, therefore it is his fault that the occupation continues. A ridiculous claim considering the occupation would immediately cease if Israel simply makes a commitment of adhering to international law and leaves the occupied territories. It is also an unfair level of blame cast upon Arafat, considering that all of the "generous" peace deals offered by Israel consisted of keeping some of Palestinian territory, keeping settlements on Palestinian land, and refusing the right of return to Palestinian refugees- all violations of international law. Arafat was indeed a difficult man for Israel to make a deal with, but blaming him for the occupation caused by Israel's military aggression and biblical claims to Palestinian land is ridiculous.

4 out of 5 stars Very good book about a very bad man.......2004-11-11

This is a very good book about a very bad man.

Even if you are not pro-Israel, what people don't realize is that Yasir Arafat was killing American's way back in the 1960's and 1970's.

He was responsible for the killing if US Ambassador Cleo Noel Jr. in 1973.

Arafat is evil, pure evil. This book will show you why.

1 out of 5 stars Dull & polemical .......2004-10-28

"Biographies" like these are made by collecting newspaper clippings about someone you have never met and paraphrasing them. The usual subjects are pop stars and Hollywood actors. No interviews, no original material of any sort, and certainly no enlightenment. A hard-line journalistic pamphlet.

Update May 6, 2006: I am amused to see that a hit-squad has been systematically giving negative points to all reviews on this page which appear to be pro-Arafat. This to miss the point -- being pro-Arafat or anti-Arafat does not make this any the less a dull and polemical pseudo-biography which tells us nothing other than what (as another reviewer has said) we already know, that right-wing Israeli journalists loathed him.

But to the main issue -- there is a far more interesting and revelatory biography of Arafat available now in paperback, "Arafat: From Defender to Dictator" by Said K. Aburish. This scathing book written by a Palestinian insider will tell you a great deal more about Arafat's early life, and why his leadership of the Palestinian cause went so badly wrong in the decade before his death. Check the Aburish book out, probably the definitive statement of the agonized, frustrated way Palestinian intellectuals view Arafat.

1 out of 5 stars lies.......2004-09-24

THis book was one of the worst bios I have ever read, it was increadably biased, it almost sounded like it was written by fox news. Very little reaserch went into this book, the authors gave their opionion at every turn
Yasser Arafat (A & E Biography)
Average customer rating: Not rated
    Yasser Arafat (A & E Biography)
    George Headlam
    Manufacturer: Lerner Publications
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Paperback

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    1. Yasir Arafat: A Political Biography Yasir Arafat: A Political Biography
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    ASIN: 0822599023
    Yasir Arafat
    Average customer rating: Not rated
      Yasir Arafat
      Elizabeth Ferber
      Manufacturer: Millbrook Press
      ProductGroup: Book
      Binding: Library Binding

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      Arafat, a political biography
      Average customer rating: 3 out of 5 stars
      • biased account of the butcher
      • Terrorists or Freedom Fighters: Yasser Arafat and the P.L.O
      • A non-true story of a COWARD leader.
      • Alan Hart does a terrific job of showing us the real Arafat.
      • An unbias history of the complexities Arafat faced.
      Arafat, a political biography
      Alan Hart
      Manufacturer: Indiana University Press
      ProductGroup: Book
      Binding: Unknown Binding

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      ASIN: 0253327113

      Customer Reviews:

      2 out of 5 stars biased account of the butcher.......2003-02-21

      Arafat who derides the Isrealis(Zionists as he calls them) as monsters and who secretly wishes the nazis had finished the job is glorified in this book, an extension of Harts even more biased work "Arafat: Terrorist or peacemaker". Terrorist is the answer. Harts extensive interviews with those close to Arafat make for an incredible work. Yet Hart takes their statements as fact. he fully indulges the arab obsession with the idea that Jews control American politics and the American media. He fully indulges the antisemetic ideas that Zionism is racism. he fully approves of Arafats bloodthirstyness that led the butcher to walk into the U.N with a gun on his hip. Hart goes onto allow his lying interviewees to distort the truth sourounding 'Black September' showing how sopposedly Arafat had no role in the murder of Isreali Athletes.

      Nevertheless the book sheds light on Arafats extenive enemies amoungst the Arab states. His experience in Jordan, Syria and Lebanon where his terrorists were bashed into submission. But testamount to the one honorable characteristic of arafat he has never given up.

      Hart will always be a biased man, who never realized the terrorists in front of him were butchers of children and the heroes of the Isreali state that they wish dead are the true reightous people of the middle east.

      3 out of 5 stars Terrorists or Freedom Fighters: Yasser Arafat and the P.L.O.......2002-01-03

      From his earliest beginnings as a student leader in Cairo, to his current position as Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization (P.L.O.), Yasser Arafat is unquestionably the heart and soul of Palestinian nationalism. Author Alan Hart paints an almost heart-rending portrait of Arafat, whom he describes as a selfless leader who has devoted his life to his people and his cause. Hart's central thesis is that Israel is well aware that the P.L.O. is willing, and has been for some time, to establish peace on the basis of UN Resolutions 242 and 338. Israel has rejected this initiative because it will require them to withdraw to the borders it occupied before 1967 and allow the establishment of a Palestinian mini-state. In Arafat's own words:

      ". . . when it (Zionism) is destroyed, . . . our two peoples (Jews and Palestinians) can live together in real peace. That is the day our dream of a Democratic State of Palestine will come true."

      Quite a statement from a man who once boasted that he would, "drive the Jews into the sea!" Has he changed? Hart says he has. Israel, understandably, is not so sure.

      Hart provides insight to the inner workings of both the P.L.O. and Arab regimes, who give lip-service to the Palestinian cause, but have sought to "play the Palestinian card" for their own, ignoble purposes. His analysis of their reasons for doing so provides interesting reading. He also says Arab regimes, the Mossad, and the CIA have used dissident P.L.O. factions to wreck Arafat inspired peace initiatives. The analysis is intriguing but not totally convincing.

      While reading I was struck by the similarity between Arafat and Israeli terrorist turned politician, Menachem Begin. Both are/were dedicated nationalists who stop/stopped at nothing to achieve their goal. Ironically, the goal is/was the same: establish a homeland for their displaced, disenfranchised peoples on the same real estate. Both have committed immoral acts in the name of a higher morality. Both have blood on their hands!

      Hart's work is obviously biased toward Arafat and the P.L.O. Readers should compare it with Begin's book, "The Revolt: Story of the Irgun," to learn how successful terrorists play first the terrorism and then the political card to achieve their ends. Is the P.L.O. sincere in its stated desire for peace? If so, can Arafat control dissident Palestinian elements that are currently conducting suicide attacks throughout Israel? We can only hope so. Only when this problem is solved will the people of the world feel safe boarding commercial airliners again and will Americans be able to resume feeding instead of bombing the Afghanistans of the world.

      2 out of 5 stars A non-true story of a COWARD leader........1999-11-07

      This is a fiction version of ARAFAT's life. He is a complete coward. And his people and the people of the region there know him best. He is a leader with many faces, betrayed his country and his religion.

      This book is just a fake mirror.

      5 out of 5 stars Alan Hart does a terrific job of showing us the real Arafat........1999-03-20

      Contrary to popular belief, Yasser Arafat is not the wild and psychotic terrorist as depicted by the media. Alan Hart does a spectacular job of telling the true story of Arafat's life and how he has been the lone man in reviving Palestinian identity. For those who want to hear the actual facts of the Middle East crisis, this book is a must!

      4 out of 5 stars An unbias history of the complexities Arafat faced........1998-09-19

      Hart does an excellent job at describing the difficult task Arafat faced as the leader of the PLO. Through many interviews it seems Hart has brought both perspective views together and concluded that there is more to Arafat than the media has shown. He has described the many factions within the PLO which Arafat had risked his life to challenge. Hart shows the real Arafat, a moderate, not an extremist as he has been portrayed in the past.
      Arafat: In the Eyes Of The Beholder: In the Eyes of the Beholder
      Average customer rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
      • Yasir Arafat = Pure Evil
      • Interesting, not the best biography
      • A Decent Review of Arafat's Life
      • Arafat + History of the PLO
      • Good book
      Arafat: In the Eyes Of The Beholder: In the Eyes of the Beholder
      John Wallach
      Manufacturer: Citadel
      ProductGroup: Book
      Binding: Hardcover

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      Customer Reviews:

      1 out of 5 stars Yasir Arafat = Pure Evil.......2003-11-21

      This is short and to the point: Arafat is a murderer! He is a full Terrorist.

      What more is there to say?

      The only thing more disgusting that Arafat are those who defend him.

      How can Americans defend him when he admittedly ordered the deaths of Americans?

      3 out of 5 stars Interesting, not the best biography.......2003-11-01

      First off their is nothing 'misunderstood' about Mr. Arafat as this book contends. The authors think somehow that just because someone murders children is no reason to condemn him or even critique him. To begin with the bias does not help this book. ALthought he authors ahd much access to Arafats people they seem to have been taken in by some of his propoganda, something the PLO is expert at.

      Their are only a few books on Arafat. "Arafat terrorist or peacemaker' by Hart is the most biased towards arafat. 'Arfat: defender to dictator' by ABurish is one of the more ciritcla ones. two new biographies of Arafat have recently been released one is biased and the other one is more nuetral. I would have to say this book is the worst of all of them. THis volume doesnt uncover much new evidence and yet it also fails to give a critical history of the PLO. The PLO was invovled in almost taking over and destroying two countries, Jordan and Lebanon. The PLO was thrown out of Syria and Egypt for these very reasons. Arafat himself, despite his success at survival, is not a lovable character, certainly not as lovable as the authors make him out to be. Harts volume is more insightful while Aburish's is more palistinian oriented.

      The saga of Arafat is not over and we will need to wait for a full appraisal of his life. The recent resignation of Abbas does not bode well For Arafats leadership and neither does the rise of Hamas. This book is dated and its not thats special.

      3 out of 5 stars A Decent Review of Arafat's Life.......2001-07-22

      I recommend this book to anyone seeking to gain a deeper understanding of Yasser Arafat's life and role in both the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and the internal politics of the Arab world. Based on an series of interviews conducted by the authors as well as primary documents (many of which are provided in translation at the end of the book, a useful bonus), this book chronicles the life of Arafat from his early days in Cairo and Jerusalem up to about 1990, and throws in a basic history of the Arab-Israeli conflict to boot. This book is at its best and most readable when it relays the personal reminscences of Arafat, his aides, and his rivals in the Arab world, who provide a perspective upon the major events of the Arab-Israeli conflict that you cannot find elsewhere. Also to its credit, as other reviewers have mentioned, this book provides a great amount of information on the various Palestinian factions comprising and outside of the PLO, and the characters behind each one of them (although it manages to largely ignore certain major players, such as Abu Nidal).

      This book does, however, have several major flaws which relegate to secondary status in a library of books on the Middle East. Firstly, the book is a bit too biased towards Arafat, much like Patrick Seale's "Assad", which fawns upon the late Syrian dictator. One can excuse the affection they display for Arafat, however, as it was probably necessary in order to gain such impressive access to the Chairman and his inner circle. Still, one would have liked to see the comments of Arafat and his associates treated with greater critical analysis and balance. Furthermore, the authors' prose and organization leaves much to be desired. They lack the compelling narrative voice of a Thomas Friedman, Edward Said, or Bernard Lewis, resulting in a text that often comes across as very dry and stilted, particularly in historical background passages. They organize the book episodically rather than chronologically, which could result in great confusion regarding the timeline of events for someone not already very familiar with modern Middle Eastern history. Finally, this book tries to do far too much in a single volume. It begins as a very personal account of Arafat's life, yet at times abandons the story of Arafat entirely and becomes a generic history of the Arab-Israeli conflict. It is as though the authors wrote several separate books, took a few chapters from each, and threws the pages together. The result is a disjointed, often haphazard history of the Arab-Israeli conflict with slightly more emphasis on Yasser Arafat than is usual in such works.

      In sum, this book has merit and provides certain insights and primary information not to be found elsewhere. It is not suitable as an introduction to the Arab-Israeli conflict, but should be read only after one has already acquired a basic familiarity with the subject matter. It is otherwise a useful addition to the library of the serious student of Middle Eastern history.

      5 out of 5 stars Arafat + History of the PLO.......2001-01-15

      This book was a great book. Not only does it serve as a biography of Arafat, it also serves great as a general history of Fatah, the PLO, and the struggle for Palestinian liberation. So what if it calls legitimate attacks against Israel terrorist attacks? It is a small matter in this case since everything else is pretty unbiased. Even as someone who has a pretty good knowledge of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, one thing I appreciate is having it spelled out to me that the PLO is an UMBRELLA organization that comprises Fatah, PFLP, DFLP, Saiqa etc... And that Arafat the leader of the Fatah faction and for a time not the leader of PLO soon became that leader in 69. Hence we now have his association with PLO/Fatah faction. For the longest time my mind was just a muddle until I was able to order these various liberation organization in time and space. I also have alot more respect for Arafat as a person devoted to the Palestinian cause. I have been a bit more on the extreme side previously and currently, however, I can see the definite advantages of a political solution. I liked this book and found it highly informative. I learned alot. If you want to learn about Fatah, the PLO, and Yasir Arafat, definately get this book.

      My only problem with the book is the last chaper from "Oslo to Hebron". It should have been broken up into several better written pieces. However, I appreciate the addition of this chapter in the 97 print. The story is still unfolding.

      4 out of 5 stars Good book.......2000-12-09

      Although a bit dated, the book gives a good synopsis about Arafat's life as well as the history of the PLO. Learned quite about Araft. The list of people they interviewed is quite impressive; those people they did interview make the book what it is. Very easy to read and engrossing as well.
      Arafat: The Biography
      Average customer rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars
      • He knew how to fight, but.....
      • Portrait of an evil man
      • Arafat! The father of the palestinian revolution!!
      • Arafat is a murderer, nothing less.
      • not as good as...
      Arafat: The Biography

      ProductGroup: Book
      Binding: Hardcover

      IsraelIsrael | Middle East | History | Subjects | Books
      Similar Items:
      1. Arafat: From Defender to Dictator Arafat: From Defender to Dictator
      2. Yasir Arafat: A Political Biography Yasir Arafat: A Political Biography
      3. The Mystery of Arafat The Mystery of Arafat

      ASIN: B000HT2ONK

      Book Description

      Over thirty years ago Yasser Arafat swept onto the world stage as leader of the Palestine Liberation Organization, a machine in one hand and an olive branch in the other. In that time he became many things to many people: terrorist, Nobel Peace Prize-winner, and to the Bush Whitehouse, a Pariah once more. Now, following his death in Paris, we review hundreds of frank and revealing interviews with senior Israeli and Palestinian officials, including Arafat himself, to separate the man from the myth and look towards the future for this troubled land.

      Customer Reviews:

      3 out of 5 stars He knew how to fight, but............2006-10-13



      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.

      1 out of 5 stars Portrait of an evil man.......2006-07-16

      Arafat was an evil man.

      In his life, what did he achieve?

      He killed a lot of Americans and Israelis. His Palestinian people are in lousy shape. While Israel has built up a democracy and world class economy, and have created tens of thousands of jobs for Americans, all the Palestinians can do is create more suicide bombers.

      Thus us the legacy of Arafat. A failure and a loser.


      4 out of 5 stars Arafat! The father of the palestinian revolution!!.......2006-01-10

      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!!"

      1 out of 5 stars Arafat is a murderer, nothing less........2004-04-27

      This book paints far to nice a picture of Arafat.

      That any American can be pro-Arafat is mind-boggling. Arafat hates the West just a bit less then he hates Israel.

      He has murdered thousands. He is a despicable person and is in no way a legitimate political leader.

      3 out of 5 stars not as good as..........2003-09-15

      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.
      Yasir Arafat (Major World Leaders (Sagebrush))
      Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
      • Yasir Arafat
      Yasir Arafat (Major World Leaders (Sagebrush))
      Colleen Madonna Flood Williams
      Manufacturer: Tandem Library
      ProductGroup: Book
      Binding: School & Library Binding

      PoliticalPolitical | Biographies | People & Places | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
      GeneralGeneral | History & Historical Fiction | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
      Middle EastMiddle East | History & Historical Fiction | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
      GeneralGeneral | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
      GeneralGeneral | Biographies & Memoirs | Teens | Subjects | Books
      HistoricalHistorical | Biographies & Memoirs | Teens | Subjects | Books
      ASIN: 0613856317

      Customer Reviews:

      5 out of 5 stars Yasir Arafat.......2002-12-19

      I used this to do a report about Yasir Arafat. It was a great book! Good photos and information. Also, it was easy to read. I learned that Yasir means "easy going." Pretty cool. I can't wait to read more books by Colleen Madonna Flood Williams. Her name is long, but it's still a nice name.
      Yasir Arafat (World Leaders Past and Present Series II)
      Average customer rating: Not rated
        Yasir Arafat (World Leaders Past and Present Series II)
        Rebecca Stefoff
        Manufacturer: Chelsea House Publications
        ProductGroup: Book
        Binding: Library Binding

        GeneralGeneral | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
        PoliticalPolitical | Leaders & Notable People | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
        GeneralGeneral | Explore the World | People & Places | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
        ASIN: 1555468268
        Yasser Arafat (Leading Lives)
        Average customer rating: Not rated
          Yasser Arafat (Leading Lives)
          David Downing
          Manufacturer: Heinemann Library
          ProductGroup: Book
          Binding: Library Binding

          PoliticalPolitical | Biographies | People & Places | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
          Middle EastMiddle East | Explore the World | People & Places | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
          GeneralGeneral | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
          ASIN: 1588105830
          Yasser Arafat (Middle East Leaders)
          Average customer rating: Not rated
            Yasser Arafat (Middle East Leaders)
            Bernadette Brexel
            Manufacturer: Rosen Publishing Group
            ProductGroup: Book
            Binding: Library Binding

            PoliticalPolitical | Biographies | People & Places | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
            Middle EastMiddle East | Explore the World | People & Places | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
            Middle EastMiddle East | History & Historical Fiction | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
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            GeneralGeneral | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
            All TitlesAll Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
            ASIN: 0823944697

            Books:

            1. A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier
            2. A Naturalist and Other Beasts: Tales From a Life in the Field
            3. Abraham Lincoln and Civil War America: A Biography
            4. After Fidel: Raul Castro and the Future of Cuba's Revolution
            5. An Irish Country Doctor
            6. Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl
            7. April 1865: The Month That Saved America (P.S.)
            8. April 1865: The Month That Saved America (P.S.)
            9. Azerbaijan Diary: A Rogue Reporter's Adventures in an Oil-Rich, War-Torn, Post-Soviet Republic
            10. Azerbaijan Diary: A Rogue Reporter's Adventures in an Oil-Rich, War-Torn, Post-Soviet Republic

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