My Life in the PLO: The Inside Story of the Palestinian Struggle: The Inside Story of the Palestinian Struggle

by Shafiq Al-hout, Hader Al-Hout (Translator), Jean Said Makdisi (Editor)

This is the inside story of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO), from its beginnings in 1964 to the signing of the Oslo agreement in 1993.

For over three decades, the main goal of the PLO was to achieve a just peace in the Arab-Israeli conflict, and to build a democratic state in Palestine for all its citizens. Shafiq Al-Hout, a high ranking PLO official until his resignation in 1993, provides previously unavailable details on the key events in its history such as its recognition by the UN and the Oslo peace negotiations. Taking us right to the heart of the decision making processes, this book explains the personalities and internal politics that shaped the PLO's actions and the Palestinian experience of the twentieth century.

Although he was an insider, Al-Hout's book does not shy from analysing and criticising decisions and individuals, including Yasser Arafat. This book is an essential piece of history that sheds new light on the significance of the PLO in the Palestinian struggle for justice.

Genres: History, Memoir, Middle East, Biography Memoir

328 pages, Paperback

First published December 15, 2010

Reviews

[Marcy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Al-Hout's book is an amazingly detailed story of someone who has dedicated his life to the liberation of Palestine--so much so that when the PLO decided to secretly hold negotiations with Israel, he resigned. It is rare to read the writing of someone who has such consistent moral values over a lifetime. But the soul of the book are the anecdotes he tells--especially about Yaffa. The first one is a story of expulsion in which he carefully narrates in detail his thoughts about his beloved city as he watches it recede into the distance on a boat headed for Lebanon. The second story is a tale he tells about riding a particular bus through Yaffa pre-nakba. He narrates the bus ride so vividly it is as if the reader is on the bus with him watching the various shops and people. The later stories he tells--and there are some significant and odd gaps in his story so it is definitely not a book meant for people unfamiliar with the recent history of the Arab world--take you behind the scenes from the nakba to the present.

[Jarh L. Rodriguez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Refreshing to see their internal and external struggles from an insider instead of the usual Israeli-leaning media.

Insightful to learn about how the Nakba triggered the creation of many movements inside and outside modern day split Palestine. And how the lack of unity of these many movements hinders to this day internal and external cooperation.

Advocating for the establishment of one secular democratic state for both jews and arabs with equal rights and duties, is a proposal that no one on earth would reject.

It is clear though how a two state solution is seen as temporary, and understandable why the zionist entity would not budge to provide such a first step of liberation while at the same time focusing all media efforts on the “terrorists and enemies of civilization” propaganda campaign.

How convenient the delay of negotiations while settling more land with self-impunity from the Zionist side. And how sad that the radical elements of the PLO have produced such a bad reputation for the Palestinian cause in ultra-right circles.

The author poses how surprised he is at the survival of the terrorism narrative at a time when so many national liberation movements were happening around the world with similar operations.

[Mr A Dhanani · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heartbroken reading this

[Stephen Heiner · Rating 4 out of 5]

video book review: https://youtu.be/zHmmaEf9mDY