"The human will and the human spirit are the determining factors in everything you do. There will always be small-minded, narrow-minded, power-driven, power-hungry people who will try to set limits, who will try to give you constraints. And the human spirit to refuse such constraints. The willingness to take risks and to vindicate your humanity, it seems to me this is essential." - Hanan Ashrawi

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Circumstances Early Life School University    


Circumstances

Hanan Mikhail Ashrawi was born on October 8, 1946, in time for her life to encompass the 1947 partition plan and everything that followed afterwards. Over her first two years the family moved several times before settling in the city of Ramallah in the West Bank, at that time under the rule of Jordan. During her childhood, Ashrawi’s family protected her both physically and emotionally from the strife surrounding them, allowing war to be an abstract concept in her mind.

 
 
As she grew older, she became more aware of the politically charged atmosphere around her. Resistance movements were growing in exile: Fatah expanded and the PLO was organized during the 50s and 60s.