Born in Bethany, Jerusalem, in 1940; graduated in Law (LLB) from Damascus University (1964); worked as supervisor to the Passport Dept. for the Jordanian Government (until 1967); in 1969, worked as part-time teacher and wrote columns for Al-Quds newspaper; became translator for Al-Quds newspaper in the early 1970s; Israeli news editor for Al-Fajr newspaper from 1977-86; practiced as lawyer in Ramallah from 1983-86 and was Executive Director of the Arab Council for Arab Affairs; editor and publisher of his own bi-monthly Hebrew language paper Gesher (Bridge) since 1986; held under arrest by Israel in 1990 for six months; noted for his willingness to make compromises with Israel; head of the advisory committee to the Madrid process; elected PLC member (Fateh) for the Jerusalem district in the Jan. 1996 elections; served as PA minister without portfolio and head of the PA’s ‘Office for Jerusalem Affairs’ in Abu Dis, established in Aug. 1999 (until 2006); ran unsuccessfully in the 2006 PLC elections (Fateh, Jerusalem district).