Abdelbari Atwan, born in 1950 in Deir Al Balah (Gaza refugee camp) is a Palestinian journalist, editor since 1989 of the Arab newspaper published in London 'Al Quds Al Arabi', which he left in 2013 after the paper came under control of Qatari capital, to create the website 'Rai Al Youm' (Today's Opinion). He is considered one of the most important columnists in the Arab press. He has been a member of the National Council, the Palestinian Parliament, since 1990. He is the author of The Secret History of al-Qa'ida, and A Country of Words, his memoir.