abaya - (Arabic) a loose black robe from head to toe; traditionally worn by Muslim women

mukataa - an Arabic word for headquarters or administrative center; "Arafat was holed up in the mukataa of his West Bank compound"

Semitic - a major branch of the Afro-Asiatic language family

bayat - an oath of allegiance to an emir

Mashriq - Arabic name for the Middle East

shaheed - Arabic term for holy martyrs; applied by Palestinians to suicide bombers