“I knew Saeb Erekat well from many previous
encounters… Saeb is a warm family man
and good company. At his childhood home
in Jericho, his young son Mohammad jumps into his welcoming arms and his
charming twin daughters tease their father lovingly, while their mother, Naame,
looks on, smiling. One of his daughters
is a member of “Seeds of Peace”, which brings together Jews, Christians and
Arabs – Israelis, Palestinians, Jordanians and Americans. Pictures of Erekat with Arafat and other
Palestinian leaders fill the living room.
In earlier pictures Erekat can be seen with a dark mane of hair and
thick beard. Over the years, both have
turned gray and have been shortened slightly.
Unlike other Palestinian leaders, Erekat is not characterized by
any of the common symbols of status. He
did not belong to the old guard of the PLO, for example, nor did he participate
in armed struggle, a clear disadvantage when vying for a position of leadership
among the Palestinians. But his
eloquence, fluent English, and love affair with the world’s media, have put him
on the international center stage, where Erekat is identified as much if not
more than others with the Palestinian national struggle. In 1986, what Israel considered inflammatory
material was discovered in Erekat’s office at A-Najah University. He was subsequently arrested a number of
times for his activities in Fatah.
Erekat is a man of peace, a democrat and a liberal who believes
peace has to be made between people, rather than between governments. He is an experienced, tough and shrewd
negotiator, with a phenomenal memory.
He does not hesitate to raise his voice and stomp his feet when
necessary. In an effort to stall, he
can be the most meticulous, petty and even irritating person; while, in an effort
to advance, he will bypass all the mines he himself had laid. Of all the members of the Palestinian
leadership, Erekat experienced the most
substantial transformation of thought – from defiantly donning the famous
kaffiah during the 1991 Madrid Conference; through promoting the democratic
process in Palestinian elections and fighting corruption; to investing all his
time and effort in the peace process. His dedication and commitment to the
peace process throughout the years translated in hours of tedious negotiations
and drafting sessions.”
Within Reach: The Israeli-Palestinian Peace Negotiations, 1999-2001 b