Once Upon a Country

Born into a prominent family with deep roots in Jerusalem, Nusseibeh reluctantly became involved in politics, constantly aware that co-existence with Israel is possible. Hated by extremists on both sides, he has always held fast to the principles of freedom and equality which have guided all his decisions, no matter what the personal cost. His beautifully-written memoirs, inter...

Born into a prominent family with deep roots in Jerusalem, Nusseibeh reluctantly became involved in politics, constantly aware that co-existence with Israel is possible. Hated by extremists on both sides, he has always held fast to the principles of freedom and equality which have guided all his decisions, no matter what the personal cost. His beautifully-written memoirs, interwoven with the story of his larger family - and with the history of the Palestinians since before 1948 - are a rare view into what the Arab-Israeli conflict has meant in reality for a Palestinian family. The consequences of the 1967 war changed things even further for Nusseibeh's life in Jerusalem - not always negatively. Appointed by Arafat to be the PLO representative in Jerusalem, we get a first-hand view inside the workings of the first Palestinian Authority, and a close-up of Arafat himself. "A deeply admirable book by a deeply admirable man." New York Times

Sari Nusseibeh is the president of and a professor of philosophy at Al-Quds University, the only Arab university in Jerusalem. As the Palestine Liberation Organization's chief representative in the city in 2001 and 2002, he advocated a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict. He lives in Jerusalem.