Palestinian President Arafat in his besieged Ramallah compound.
During my decades criss-crossing the Middle East, I was fortunate to have the opportunity to meet many of the region’s most remarkable, famous, and infamous characters.
Here are a few of them.
Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu with my friends John Pepper and Maggie Pepper.
Missing from these photos: meetings with Israeli Prime Ministers Yitzhak Shamir and Ehud Olmert, Lebanese Prime Ministers Rafik and Saad Hariri, Syrian President Bashar Assad, Jordan’s Queens Rania and Noor, Palestinian First Lady Suha Arafat, Palestinian First Daughter Zahwa Arafat, and Iraqi First Son Uday Saddam Hussein.
Most surprising: Yasser Arafat.
Toughest: Ariel Sharon.
Most media-savvy: Benjamin Netanyahu.
Warmest: King Hussein.
Most dour: Yitzhak Rabin.
Creepiest: Uday Saddam Hussein.
Only cute one: seven-year-old Zahwa Arafat.
Jordan's King Hussein.
Israeli Prime Minister Peres with CNN President Tom Johnson.
Israeli Prime Minister Sharon.
Jordan's King Abdullah.
Israeli Prime Minister Rabin with my colleagues Charlie Hoff and Tom Johnson.
Israeli Prime Minister Barak with my colleague Larry Register.
