Profile of Mahmoud Abbas

— -- Mahmoud Abbas became Palestinian prime minister on April 30, 2003 — but only lasted four months in the job before resigning after a showdown with longtime Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.

Abbas had taken office following a concerted effort by U.S. and Israeli policymakers to sideline Arafat, which they said was necessary in order to revive the Mideast peace process.

While Abbas was the longtime No. 2 official in the Palestine Liberation Organization and had long been regarded as Arafat's successor, he seemed to be the opposite of the populist Arafat, who is prone to theatrical outbursts and thrives in the spotlight.

Abbas is a professorial "backroom player" who had quietly devoted his life to policymaking rather than popular appeal. He appeared to be the right person to breathe fresh life into the peace effort.

The difference between the two men is visceral: Arafat still wears his symbolic fatigues and kaffiyeh, while Abbas favors a suit and tie, and speaks in measured tones.

But critics worried about Abbas' nonconfrontational nature. He has walked away from difficult situations, they said — and the office of prime minister would be especially difficult given challenges from Arafat and a lack of popular support.

Although Abbas and Arafat have known each other for nearly 40 years, their relationship has been characterized by sporadic quarreling, followed by what critics described as sulking by Abbas for extended periods.

They also said Abbas is too removed from ordinary Palestinians, and sometimes even fellow PLO officials. Intensely private in his personal life, he preferred to eat most meals at home with his family and shut off callers who disturbed him while he was with his family.

On Sept. 6, 2003, Abbas proved his critics right. He resigned after a power struggle with Arafat.

Also Known as Abu Mazen

Abbas was born in the hilltop town of Safed in 1935, in what is now northern Israel. His father owned a flock of sheep and was among the town's prominent cheese merchants, running a wholesale grocery business with a Jewish partner.

During the 1948-49 war that created the Jewish state, Abbas and his family became refugees, fleeing to Syria. He earned a law degree from the University of Damascus and, later, a doctorate in history from Moscow's Oriental College.

In the late 1950s, Abbas helped found Fatah, the main political grouping within the PLO, and helped manage finances for the movement.

When the group turned to terror, he distanced himself from their activities. Abbas was one of the first PLO leaders to advocate recognizing Israel and has held private talks over the years with prominent Israelis, including at least five prime ministers. He is credited with being chief architect of the 1993 Oslo agreements.

After the latest intifada began in September 2000, he said it was understandable, but said it should not have been allowed to escalate. The violence was the "complete destruction of everything we built," he said.

Abbas has two living sons, Yasser and Tareq. His eldest, Mazen, died of a heart attack in 2002. Abbas takes his nickname, Abu Mazen, from an Arab custom of identifying themselves as fathers of their sons. Abu Mazen means "Father of Mazen."