Compelling account of a legendary Palestinian resistance fighter: from refugee camp to international infamy
Dubbed "the poster girl of Palestinian militancy," Leila Khaled's image flashed across the world after she hijacked a passenger jet in 1969. The picture of a young, determined looking woman with a checkered scarf, clutching an AK-47, was as era-defining as that of Che Guevara.
In this intimate profile, based on interviews with Khaled and those who know her, Sarah Irving gives us the life-story behind the image. Key moments of Khaled's turbulent life are explored, including the dramatic events of the hijackings, her involvement in the Marxist Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, her opposition to the Olso peace process, and her activism today. Leila Khaled's example gives unique insights into the Palestinian struggle through one remarkable life – from the tension between armed and political struggle, to the decline of the secular Left and the rise of Hamas, and the role of women in a largely male movement.
About the Author
Sarah Irving is Leverhulme Early Career Fellow at Edge Hill University and a freelance writer whose work has appeared in Electronic Intifada, Guardian and New Internationalist. She has held editorial roles at Red Pepper, Peace News and Ethical Consumer magazine. She is author of Leila Khaled: Icon of Palestinian Liberation (Pluto 2012), The Bradt Guide to Palestine (2011) and co-author (with Sharyn Lock) of Gaza: Beneath the Bombs (Pluto, 2010).
What People Are Saying
'A fine portrayal of a compelling and mysterious figure from a tumultuous period in Palestinian history, mixing biography and historical critique to deliver a valuable insight into Leila Khaled's character as well as her extraordinary appeal as a revolutionary icon' - Nicholas Blincoe, co-editor of Peace Under Fire: Israel/Palestine and the International Solidarity Movement
Table of Contents
Introduction
1. Haifa, Lebanon, Kuwait
2. Leila The Fighter
3. Black September
4. Marriage And Death
5. Revolutionary Women
6. Moving To Jordan And Returning To Palestine
7. Leila Khaled In The Future, Palestine In The Future
References
Index