Statesman. Faisal, an ardent and pragmatic nationalist, was the acknowledged leader of the Palestine Liberation Organisation in Jerusalam since 1964 and was regularly imprisoned by the Israelis. A Palestanian of historical aura renowned for his commitment to human rights played a key role in the quest for peace with Israel. Championing the centrality of Jerusalam in the Arab psyche, he represented his people in 1991 Madrid peace conference and was leading negotiator in Oslo talks. Faisal relationship with Arafat oscillated between comradeship and rivalry. A brave if disenchanted peacemaker was a man of intellect, integrity and a princely member of an aristocratic family that has lived in Jerusalam for centuries was born in Baghdad and died of a heart attack in Kuwait, on a visit to facilitate reconciliation between Kuwaitis and Yasser Arafat.