Born in Washington DC, spent 15 years as a foreign correspondent. For five years, was the Christian Science Monitor’s Chief Middle East Correspondent, covering not only Israel and the PLO and the Lebanese civil war but the wider Arab world and the aftermath of the revolution in Iran. Wrote To Win or To Die (biography of the late Israeli PM Menachem Begin, 1987). Was also based in Moscow (1981-84), Johannesburg (1986-87) and finally London (1987-90). Became editor of The Jewish Chronicle (1990-2005) before joining The Observer as Chief Political Correspondent.