Abbas, Mahmud (1935–). Founding member of Fatah and head of PLO delegation to Oslo; elected chairman of PLO and president of the Palestinian Authority on Arafat's death.
Abd al-Nasser, Gamal (1918–70). Leader of Free Officers movement that took power in Egypt in 1952; president of Egypt during 1956 Suez War (“Tripartite Aggression”) and 1967 war with Israel.
ʿAbdullah (1882–1951). Son of Sharif Husayn of Mecca; installed by British as amir of Trans-Jordan; first king of Jordan; Jordanian leader during 1948 war.
Arafat, Yasir (1929–2004). Guerrilla leader and chairman of PLO from 1969 to 2004; first president of the Palestinian Authority.
Barak, Ehud (1942–). Labor Party leader; elected prime minister of Israel in 1999; presented all-or-nothing offer at Camp David Summit, 2000.
Begin, Menachem (1913–92). First Likud prime minister of Israel; negotiated Camp David Treaty with Egypt (1979) and authorized Israeli invasion of Lebanon (1982).
Ben-Gurion, David (1886–1973). Second aliyah immigrant to Palestine; leader of Palestine Zionist Executive, the Palestinian branch of the World Zionist Organization; first prime minister of Israel.
Bunche, Ralph (1904–71). American diplomat with United Nations; arranged armistice agreements at end of 1948 war; invented “Rhodes format.”
Catherine the Great (1729–96). Tsarina of Russia; established Jewish Pale of Settlement in 1791.
Darwish, Mahmoud (1942–2008). Palestinian poet; considered by many to be the Palestinian national poet.
Herzl, Theodor (1860–1904). Viennese journalist; Zionist pioneer; organized First Zionist Congress in Basel, Switzerland, at which World Zionist Organization was founded.
al-Husayni, Hajj Amin (1897–1974). Scion of prominent notable family of Jerusalem; mufti of Jerusalem, president of Supreme Muslim Council, founder and leader of Arab Higher Committee during the 1930s and 1940s.
Hussein (1935–99). King of Jordan; grandson of ʿAbdullah; expelled PLO from Jordan during Black September (1970); signed peace treaty with Israel (1994).
Pasha, Ibrahim (1789–1848). Son of Mehmet Ali; general who led Egyptian invasion and occupation of Palestine (1831–41).
Jabotinsky, Vladimir (1880–1940). Russian-born journalist; founder of paramilitary Betar; emigrated to Palestine, where he organized Irgun; architect of Revisionist Zionism.
al-Jazzar, Ahmad Pasha (1722–1804). Former Egyptian slave, warlord, and Ottoman governor; established principality based in Sidon; nicknamed “al-saffah” (“the butcher”).
Ali, Mehmet (1769–1849). Leader of Albanian contingent of Ottoman army sent to Egypt to oust Napoleon; recognized by Ottomans as viceroy of Egypt; sent Ibrahim Pasha to Palestine.
Pinsker, Leo (1821–91). Russian physician and early Zionist; author of Autoemancipation; president of “Lovers of Zion” movement and moving spirit behind first aliyah.
al-Qassam, ʿ Izz al-Din (1880–1935). Syrian-born preacher; resistance fighter against French (1919–20); organized guerrillas to fight British and Zionists; death at the hands of British was one of the events that incited the Great Revolt; first true Palestinian national hero.
Rabin, Yitzhak (1922–95). Israeli military leader, politician, and prime minister (1992–5); committed Israel to Oslo Accord; assassinated by religious zealot.
de Rothschild, Baron Edmond (1845–1934). Philanthropist and heir to Rothschild family banking fortune; invested in first-aliyah plantations in Palestine but withdrew support in 1900.
al-Sadat, Anwar (1918–81). Member of Free Officers movement that took over Egypt in 1952; vice president of Egypt under Nasser; president of Egypt after Nasser's death; signed peace treaty with Israel (1979).
Sharon, Ariel (1928–). Israeli general, Likud politician, and prime minister (2001–6); chief architect of Israeli settlement program; visit to Temple Mount/Haram al-Sharif in 2000 provoked second intifada; initiated construction of separation barrier and Gaza withdrawal.
Shuqairy, Ahmad (1907–80). Diplomat who worked in the service of various Arab states; first chairman of PLO (1964–9).
al-ʿUmar, Zahir (1749–75). Warlord of bedouin origin; founded cotton principality based in Acre; deposed by Ottomans and Ahmad al-Jazzar.
