Michael Tarazi

Michael Tarazi
Occupation	lawyer

Michael Tarazi is a Palestinian-American lawyer and former adviser to the Palestine Liberation Organization. Since 2008, Tarazi has worked for the government and policy team of the Consultative Group to Assist the Poor (CGAP), an organization that promotes microfinance.

Biography

Tarazi was born in Kuwait City, Kuwait to Palestinian Christian parents. He grew up in Boulder, Colo., and attended Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts. He earned his bachelor's degree from Harvard University and his law degree from Harvard Law School. He spent most of his professional career as a corporate lawyer living in New York City, Helsinki, Paris, Istanbul and Budapest before his time at the PLO.

Career

Tarazi moved to Ramallah in 2000 to work as a spokesman and legal adviser for the PLO's negotiating team. As a fluent English-speaker, he was quoted extensively in the media, including CNN, NBC, ABC and the BBC. He also toured the United States speaking about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. On June 7, 2002, Tarazi was described in a front-page feature article of the Wall Street Journal as "the most articulate and sophisticated Palestinian advocate to come along in years."

Personal

Tarazi has performed as a stand-up comic in the New York Arab American Comedy Festival, where his biography describes him as "a single, Arab American." He speaks English, Arabic and French.