In this meticulously researched and iconoclastic work, the internationally respected Palestinian analyst and writer Said K. Aburish turns the current Western perception of Arafat upside-down and presents a re-examination of the leader's life. Judged by how the West now views him, Arafat has undergone one of the fastest transformations of any public figure in recorded history. In a mere four years he has moved from rejected terrorist to Nobel Peace Prize winner and respected international statesman. As a son of Palestine himself, Aburish questions the leader's methods, motives and effectiveness. As well, he addresses the mysteries of Arafat's public and personal life and speculates about the future leadership of the Palestinians.