She went on to study for a Doctorate in America, and returned to the West Bank in 1973. Here she met her husband, Emile, who was a drummer with a rockband and they had two daughters. She was a Professor of English at the University of Bir Zeit, but in 1987 this was closed down as a result of the Intifada. The Intifada was a spontaneous revolt by the Palestinians in occupied territory against Israeli rule. Ashrawi had to continue teaching in her home or at a local hostel. She was then asked to appear on an American television programme about the Intifada - she spoke fluently and clearly, and came across very well. Following this appearance, she was immediately in demand by other broadcasters. Her media appearance also attracted the attention of the exiled PLO leadership, which had not managed to present itself in a sympathetic light to the West.

In 1991 she was appointed official spokeswoman for the Palestinian delegation at the Middle East Peace Conference in Madrid - now she was to become, according to some reports, the most famous Arab woman in the world.

"The most exciting moment in my career was probably the beginning of the talks in Madrid because at that time we had the attention of the world and we had the narrative and the message. And when I wrote the Madrid speech for the Palestinian team and we had it presented before the world, I felt that for the first time we had gained an audience, we had gained a sort of public legitimacy, and we entered the consciousness of the world as a people, as a nation with an authentic human narrative and not constantly distorted by others."