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Revision as of 18:00, 13 November 2004 view source24.81.198.191 (talk) It said Arafat won the 1994 Nobel Peace prize, it was described twice in the same paragraph. I took out the first instance is the second one is more complete.← Previous edit Revision as of 19:33, 13 November 2004 view source HistoryBuffEr (talk | contribs)1,223 edits Updated neutral versionNext edit →
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'''Yasser Arafat''' (]: ياسر عرفات) (], ] – ], ]), born Muhammad Abd al-Rahman ar-Rauf al-Qudwah al-Husayni, also known as '''Abu Ammar''') was the President of the ] (leader since ], elected in ]); leader of ] and Chairman of the ] (PLO) (since ]), and co-winner of the ] ]. '''Yasser Arafat''' (]: ياسر عرفات) (], ] – ], ]), born Muhammad Abd al-Rahman ar-Rauf al-Qudwah al-Husayni, also known as '''Abu Ammar''') was the President of the ] (leader since ], elected in ]); leader of ] and Chairman of the ] (PLO) (since ]), and co-winner of the ] ].

'''Yasser Arafat''' was married to ], née '''Suha ''Soussou'' Tawil'''.
== Biography == == Biography ==

Yasser Arafat, the first to be leader of a free Palestinian state, a palestinian tragedy where he played a leading role. But has not every struggle for a peoples identity been a struggle without being able to avoid blood-shed and tears. Who was he? What did he do?
=== Early life === === Early life ===
Arafat, the fifth of seven children, was born on ], ] in ], ], to a Palestinian textile merchant . His father’s family includes ]ian ancestry and his mother descended from a inbred Palestinian family in ]. Arafat often claimed he was born in Jerusalem on ], ] however this contradicts numerous first hand accounts and an official Egyptian birth certificate . Arafat was born to a ] family. His father was textile merchant from a family that had some ] relatives. His mother was from a prominent Palestinian family in ]. According to Arafat and other sources, he was born in Jerusalem on ], ] . His date and place of birth have been disputed; some sources contend that he was born in ] on ], ]. .


Arafat’s childhood was divided between Cairo and Jerusalem. Arafat attended the University of King Faud I (later renamed ]) and sought to understand ] and ] by engaging in discussions with Jews and reading publications by ] and other Zionists .
Claims that Arafat was related to the Jerusalem Husseini clan through his mother have been disputed by the Palestinian historian Said Aburish, given that the Husseini clan designation comes from his father's side.


During the ] ], Arafat left the university and, along with other Palestinians, sought to enter Palestine to fight for Palestinian independence. He was disarmed and turned back by the Egyptian army which did not allow poorly trained partisans to enter the war zone.
When Arafat was four his mother died, and he and his father moved to Jerusalem. He lived in a house close to the ], and the ], which is sited within the ], Judaism's holiest site. During this time, local Muslim authorities had effective control of these two sites, but a growing number of ] immigrants were agitating to gain control of the Temple Mount. At the age of eight his father married again and they moved back to Cairo. The marriage did not work and his father shortly married again thereafter. When this happened Arafat's sister Inam was left in charge of the upbringing of her siblings. She once noted that Arafat was "''not like other children in playing or in his feelings... He gathered the Arab kids of the district, formed them into groups and made them march and drill. He carried a stick and he used to beat those who did not obey his commands''."


After returning to the university, Arafat joined the ] and served as president of the Union of Palestinian Students from ] to ]. In 1956, he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering.
Arafat was in Egypt when the ''nakba'', or ] occured in ], but he had long been concerned about the ] movement in the region (as evidenced by his essays in "]"). As early as 1946, the 17-year-old Arafat was organizing ways of smuggling weapons to Palestinians and encouraging others to take the fight to the ].
Arafat served as a second lieutenant in the Egyptian army during the ].


After Suez, Arafat moved to ], where he worked as an engineer and later set up his own contracting firm.
Arafat attended the University of King Faud I (later renamed ]) and sought to better understand ] and ] by engaging in discussions with Jews and reading publications by ] and other Zionists..During the ], Arafat left the university and, along with other Palestinians, sought to enter Palestine to fight for Palestinian independence. He was disarmed and turned back by Egyptian military forces that refused to allow the poorly trained partisans to enter the war zone. Arafat felt that he had been "''betrayed by these regimes''". After returning to the university, Arafat joined the ] and served as president of the Union of Palestinian Students from ] to ]. By 1956, Arafat graduated with a bachelor's degree in civil engineering and served as a second lieutenant in the Egyptian Army during the ]. . Later in 1956 at a conference in Prague he donned the ], the traditional checkered head-dress which was to become his emblem.


=== Fatah and the PLO === === Fatah and the PLO ===
Arafat had decided that the best way for ]s to gain control of ] was for them to fight and not rely on support from foreign Arab governments. In ] in ], Arafat with a group of refugees from Gaza helped found ], an organization dedicated to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state in place of ]. Fatah's first operation was an unsuccessful attempt to blow up an Israeli water pump station in ]. In ] in Kuwait, Arafat with a group of refugees from Gaza helped found ], an organization dedicated to the establishment of an independent ] state.
Fatah's first commando operation was an unsuccessful attempt to blow up an Israeli water pump station in ].


The ] (PLO) was formed in ] as a political organization unifying all resistance groups with the common goal of liberation of Palestine and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state. The ] (PLO) was formed in ] as a political organization unifying all resistance groups with the common goal of liberation of Palestine and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.


After the ], ] started attacking Palestinian resistance organizations.Arafat is said to have escaped the Israeli attacks by crossing the ] dressed as a woman carrying a baby, a story that enhanced his image as a man who could always manage a narrow escape. After the ], ] started attacking Palestinian resistance organizations.
In ], Israeli army attacked Fatah in the Jordanian village of Al-Karameh; 150 Palestinians and 29 Israeli soldiers were killed. Despite heavy losses, this battle a victory for Fatah because the Israeli army ultimately withdrew. In ], Israeli army attacked Fatah in the Jordanian village of Al-Karameh; 150 Palestinians and 29 Israeli soldiers were killed. Despite heavy losses, Palestinians considered this battle a victory because the Israeli army ultimately withdrew.

This was a turning point for the resistance movement because it showed that resistance can effect changes. Many Palestinians regarded Fatah and Arafat as heroes for daring to confront the much more powerful Israeli army, and many young Palestinians began joining the ranks of Fatah. This was a turning point for the resistance movement because it showed that resistance can effect changes. Many Palestinians regarded Fatah and Arafat as heroes for daring to confront the much more powerful Israeli army, and many young Palestinians began joining the ranks of Fatah.
Fatah soon became dominant faction within the PLO and in ] Arafat was named chairman of the PLO. Arafat became commander in chief of the Palestinian Revolutionary Forces in ] and the head of the PLO's political department in ]. Fatah soon became dominant faction within the PLO and in ] Arafat was named chairman of the PLO. Arafat became commander in chief of the Palestinian Revolutionary Forces in ] and the head of the PLO's political department in ].


=== Jordan === === Jordan ===
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Arab governments attempted to negotiate a peaceful solution, but the Jordan government responded to continued militant activites with escalation in repressive measures; on ] Jordanian King Hussein declared martial law. Arab governments attempted to negotiate a peaceful solution, but the Jordan government responded to continued militant activites with escalation in repressive measures; on ] Jordanian King Hussein declared martial law.
On that same day Arafat became supreme commander of the ] (PLA), the regular military force of the PLO. On that same day Arafat became supreme commander of the ] (PLA), the regular military force of the PLO.
In the ensuing civil war the PLO had the active support of ], which sent around 200 tanks to aid the PLO. In the ensuing civil war the PLO had the active support of ], which sent around 200 tanks into Jordan to aid the PLO.
The ] and ] also got involved: U.S. Navy dispatched its ] to the eastern Mediterranean, and Israel deployed its troops to aid King Hussein if necessary. The ] and ] also got involved: U.S. Navy dispatched its ] to the eastern Mediterranean, and Israel deployed its troops to aid King Hussein if necessary.
By ] the Jordanian army achieved dominance, and the PLA agreed to a series of ceasefires . See also ] and ]. By ] the Jordanian army achieved dominance, and the PLA agreed to a series of ceasefires . See also ] and ].


=== Lebanon === === Lebanon ===
From ], Arafat and the ] relocated to ]. Because of Lebanon's weak central government, the PLO was able to operate independently of Lebanese authorities. During the ]i attacks on Lebanon the PLO began launching artillery strikes and guerilla attacks on Israel from Lebanon.


In ] of ] the Palestinian group ] kidnapped 11 Israeli athletes at the ]; all hostages and most hostage takers were eventually killed.
Following the expulsion from ], Arafat relocated the PLO to ]. Because of Lebanon's weak central government, the PLO was able to operate virtually as an independent state. Palestinian fighters mounted intermittent cross-border attacks against civilian and military targets in Israel from there; Israel responded with offensive maneuvers into Lebanon.
This attack was widely condemned and Arafat publicly disassociated himself from such attacks.
In ] Arafat ordered the PLO to stop acts of violence outside Israel and Israel ] ].
That year Arafat became the first representative of a nongovernmental organization to address a plenary session of the ].


The ] movement continued to launch attacks against Israeli targets. In the late ] several new leftist organizations were formed in Palestine and carried out attacks on Israel and Israeli ] ]. Israel claimed that Arafat was in ultimate control over these organizations, but Arafat denied responsibility for acts of other groups.
In ] ], ], , kidnapped 11 Israeli athletes at the ] and eventually killed them all. The killings were internationally condemned and Arafat publicly "disassociated" himself and the PLO from such attacks.


In ], ] states declared the PLO as the sole legitimate representative of all ]. The PLO was admitted to full membership in the ] in ].
In ] Arafat "ordered" the PLO to withdraw from acts of violence outside Israel, the ] and the ]. The Fatah movement continued to launch attacks against Israeli civilians; moreover, in the late ] numerous leftist Palestinian organizations appeared which carried out attacks against civilian targets both within Israel and outside of it. Israel claimed that Arafat was in ultimate control over these organizations and hence had by no means abandoned terrorism, but Arafat steadfastly denied responsibility for acts committed by these groups. In the same year, Arafat became the first representative of a nongovernmental organization to address a plenary session of the ], and his Arab rival King Hussein of Jordan, as well as other Arab heads of state recognised the PLO as "''the sole legitimate spokesman of the Palestinian people''". The PLO was admitted to full membership in the ] in ].


The PLO played an important part in the ]; some ] ] allege that Arafat and the PLO were responsible for the deaths of tens of thousands of Lebanese citizens. Israel claimed that the PLO had played an important part in the ]. Some ] ] claimed that the PLO was responsible for the deaths of tens of thousands of Lebanese citizens killed by Israel.


Israel allied itself with the Lebanese Christians and conducted two major ]s of ]. In the ] in ], the Israeli military and South Lebanon Army (SLA) occupied a narrow strip of land, ostensibly as a security zone, and killed several thousand Lebanese and Palestinians. In the ] in ], Israel expanded its occupation to most of South Lebanon, but was eventually forced to retreat back to the previously occupied area in ]. During this invasion Israeli army killed about 18,000 Lebanese and Palestinians and helped the ] ] militia ] in the Sabra and Shatila refugee camps about 2,750 Palestinian refugees, mostly civilians. ], Israeli Minister of Defense at the time, was found by the Israeli ] "personally responsible" for the massacre and was dismissed from his post; he is now Prime Minister of Israel.
During the Civil War Arafat allied the PLO with the Muslim leftists, however, fearing a loss of power Syria's President Assad switched sides, and sent in his army to help the right-wing Christian Phalangists. The Civil War's first phase ended for Arafat with the siege and fall of the Palestinian refugee camp of ]. Arafat himself narrowly escaped with assistance from the Saudis and ]is.


=== Tunisia ===
Israel, allying itself with the Lebanese Christians conducted two major offensives into Lebanon. In the first (] in ]), the ] and ] occupied a narrow strip of land, described as "the Security Zone". In the second, (] in ]), Israel expanded its occupation to most of South Lebanon, but was eventually retreated back to the Security Zone in ].
In September ], during the ]i invasion of Lebanon, the ] had brokered a cease-fire deal in which Arafat and the ] were allowed to leave ]. Arafat and his leadership moved to ], which remained his center of operations up until ].
It was during this Israeli invasion that Arafat began his personal war with ]. Sharon later said he had Arafat in his sights in Beiruit but chose not to kill him. Arafat himself narrowly escaped death on another occasion when, with a laser-guided ], the Israelis flattened an apartment block he had left moments before.


During the ], Arafat received assistance from Arab nations, which allowed him to reconstruct the Palestinian resistance movement in exile. After the spontaneous ] in ] of ], Arafat took control of the uprising.
The ] occurred during the second Israeli offensive into Lebanon. Between 460 and 3,500 Palestinian refugees were killed by Lebanese ] Christian ] militias (which were allowed into the refugee camps by Israeli forces following the assassination of Lebanon's Christian president ]). The Israeli offensive maneuvers into Lebanon and the Phalangist massacre of Palestinian civilians amplified the deep bitterness and mistrust between Palestinians and the then-Minister of Defense, ].

Arafat was being attacked now on all sides the Israelis, Maronites, Phalangists and Syrians, indeed President Assad was urging Fatah members to rise up against the PLO. He found his only way out was through a European brokered safe passage which sent him to exile in ].

=== Tunisia ===


On ], ], the PLO proclaimed the independent ], a government-in-exile for the Palestinians, which initially laid claim to the whole area of the ], rejecting the idea of partition.
During the ], Arafat received assistance from Arab nations, which allowed him to reconstruct the Palestinian resistance movement in exile. Arafat again narrowly survived an Israeli attack in 1985, as ] ]s bombed his headquarters in Tunis leaving 73 people dead; Arafat had gone out jogging that morning. After the spontaneous ], or ] in ] of ], Arafat took control of the uprising.
However, in the ], ] address, Arafat declared acceptance of ], promised future recognition of ] and renounced "terrorism in all its forms, including state terrorism" .


The Arafat's recognition of Israel was dictated by the ] administration, which had insisted on the recognition as a necessary starting point in the ] peace negotiations.
On ], ], the PLO proclaimed the independent ], a government-in-exile for the ]s which laid claim to the whole of Palestine as defined by the ], rejecting the idea of partition. In a ], ] address, Arafat accepted ], promised future recognition of Israel, and renounced "terrorism in all its forms, including state terrorism" . Arafat's ] statement was insisted on by the ] administration, which maintained that the recognition of Israel as a necessary starting point in the ] peace negotiations. Arafat's statement indicated a shift from one of the PLO's primary aims the destruction of Israel (as in the ]) towards the establishment of two separate entities, an Israeli state within the 1949 armistice lines and a Palestinian state in the ] and the ]. However, on ], ], Arafat was elected by the Central Council of the Palestine National Council (the governing body of the PLO) to be the president of the proclaimed ], an entity which laid claim to the whole of Palestine as defined by the ], rejecting the idea of partition.
Arafat's statement indicated a shift from one of the PLO's primary aims -- liberation of the entire ] (which implicitly negates the validity of the proclamation of ]) -- towards the establishment of two separate entities, an Israeli state within the 1949 armistice lines and a Palestinian state in the areas assigned to Palestinians by the ].
On ], ], Arafat was elected president of the proclaimed State of Palestine by the governing body of the PLO.


In ] Arafat married Suha Tawil, a ] ] who converted to ].
Subsequently, during the ] Madrid Conference Israel began direct negotiations with the PLO for the first time. Subsequently, during the ] Madrid Conference Israel began direct negotiations with the PLO for the first time.


In ] Arafat opposed the ] attack on ]i forces in ]. As a result the U.S. administration began boycotting him, which impeded the Israeli-Palestinian negotiations underway, and several Arab governments feltrefused to deal with him. In ] Arafat opposed the ]-led attack on ]. As a result the U.S. administration began boycotting him, which impeded the Israeli-Palestinian negotiations underway.


In ] Arafat married Suha Tawil, a ] ] ] who converted to ].
Arafat narrowly escaped death again in 1992 as his aircraft crash-landed during a Libyan sandstorm.


=== Palestinian Authority === === Palestinian Authority ===
], ], and Arafat during the ] on ], ]]] ], ], and Arafat during the ] on ], ]]]


In the early 1990s, under US pressure, Arafat engaged the Israelis in a series of secret talks and negotiations which would enevitably lead to the ] ], which called for the implementation of ] self rule in the ] and ] over a five year period. Arafat returned back to Palestine a hero to some but a traitor and collaborator to others. For this peace initiative Arafat was awarded the ] in ], along with Israeli leaders ] and ]. In ] ] he had a daughter ], named after his deceased mother. The ] continued pressing both sides to negotiate and this pressure lead to the ] ]. The main points of this agreement were mutual recognition of ] and the ], ]'s withdrawal from the ] and ] and implementation of ] self rule. For this peace initiative Arafat was awarded the ] in ], along with Israeli leaders ] and ].


On ], ], Arafat was elected president of the ] (PA), the provisional entity created by the Oslo Accords. On ], ], Arafat was elected president of the ] (PA), the provisional entity created by the Oslo Accords.
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However, Israel made no visible attempts to live up to either the Oslo or the Wye River agreements; to the contrary, Israel steadily expanded its occupation, doubled the population in ] ] and kept obstructing Palestinian self-rule. However, Israel made no visible attempts to live up to either the Oslo or the Wye River agreements; to the contrary, Israel steadily expanded its occupation, doubled the population in ] ] and kept obstructing Palestinian self-rule.


Arafat continued negotiations with the next Israeli Prime Minister ]. During the ] negotiations Barak offered a Palestinian state in parts of the ] and ], with East Jerusalem as its capital, a return of an unspecified "limited" number of refugees and some unspecified compensation for the rest. However, the proposed ] areas did not include all of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip and were not contiguous but fragmented and surrounded by Israeli occupation colonies, and criss-crossed by numerous checkpoints and Jewish-only roads. The resolution of the important issue of refugees was unclear and various other issues, such as water rights were unresolved. Despites Clinton's pressure, Arafat rejected the offer. Several months later, in the new round of talks at ], ], Barak made a more favorable offer which was viewed positively by Palestinians. However, when the ], or Second Palestinian Intifada, was launched (2000-present) the day after a visit by ] to the ] (on the]) the peace process completely collapsed and Ariel Sharon became the Prime Minister of Israel. At this time Arafat's wife moved to live with her mother and daughter in ]. Arafat continued negotiations with the next Israeli Prime Minister ]. During the ] negotiations Barak offered a Palestinian state in parts of the ] and ], with East Jerusalem as its capital, a return of an unspecified "limited" number of refugees and some unspecified compensation for the rest. However, the proposed ] areas did not include all of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip and were not contiguous but fragmented and surrounded by Israeli occupation colonies, and criss-crossed by numerous checkpoints and Jewish-only roads. The resolution of the important issue of refugees was unclear and various other issues, such as water rights were unresolved. Despites Clinton's pressure, Arafat rejected the offer. Several months later, in the new round of talks at ], ], Barak made a more favorable offer which was viewed positively by Palestinians. However, in the meantime Barak lost his re-election bid and the incoming Prime Minister ] blocked further negotiations.
In ], after a provocative visit by Ariel Sharon to the ] compound considered sacred by Muslims, violence broke out, marking the beginning of the ].


== Recent news and commentary == == Recent news and commentary ==
Arafat's long personal and political survival was taken by most Western commentators as a sign of his mastery of ] and his skill as a tactician, given the extremely dangerous nature of politics of the ] and the frequency of ]s. Some commentators believe his personal survival was largely due to ]'s fear that he could become a ] for the ] cause if he were to be assassinated or even just arrested by Israel.


Arafat's long personal and political survival was considered by many as a sign of his mastery of asymmetric warfare and his skill as a tactician, given the extremely dangerous nature of politics of the ] and the frequency of ]s.
Arafat's ability to adapt to new tactical and political situations was perhaps exemplified by the rise of the ] and ] organizations, fundamentalist groups using Islamic ] to motivate suicide attacks against ]. In the ], these groups seemed to threaten Arafat's capacity to hold together a unified secular nationalist organization with a goal of statehood. They appeared to be out of Arafat's influence and control, and were actively fighting with Arafat's ] group. Some allege that activities of these groups were tolerated by Arafat as a means of applying pressure on Israel (see ].) Some Israeli government officials opined in ] that the ]'s faction ] began attacks on Israel to compete with ]. Some sources claim that frequent Israeli military strikes against the terrorist targets in Palestinian Authority have made it difficult for Arafat's security infrastructure to effectively counter the increasing influence of groups like ]. As well, spokesmen for ] and ] have at times publicly supported Arafat, suggesting that the common goals loom large over infighting between these factions.
Some commentators believe his personal survival is largely due to the Israel's fear that he could become a ] for the ] cause if he were to be assassinated or even just arrested by ].


Arafat's ability to adapt to new political situations is shown by his handling of the rise of the ] and ] organizations, which were using religious motives to inspire resistance against Israel's occupation.
On ], ], the Israeli ] intercepted ], a ship that was smuggling illegal weapons from ] to the ]. Israel claimed that Arafat and the PA were involved, a claim which was accepted by the Bush administration and later led to Bush demand to replace Arafat with a moderate democrat leader as a condition to negotations on a Palestinian state.
In the ], these groups seemed to threaten Arafat's capacity to hold together a unified secular nationalist organization with a goal of statehood.
They appeared to be out of Arafat's influence and control, and were actively fighting with Arafat's ] group.
Israel claimed that activities of these groups were tolerated by Arafat as a means of applying pressure on Israel, while many argue
that it was Israel's frequent strikes against the Palestinian Authority and Arafat's security infrastructure that made it difficult for Arafat to counter the increasing influence of militant groups.
However, despite all the differences and infighting, spokesmen for Hamas and Islamic Jihad had at times publicly supported Arafat, suggesting that the common Palestinian goal of freedom looms large over infighting between various factions.


Some analysts argued that Arafat could neither condemn nor constrain the militant tactics and that any attempt to do so would have endanger his rule or his life. Furthermore, ending violent resistance activities would amount to a de facto surrender to Israel because Israel had never ceded anything, and actually continually expanded its occupation during periods of nonviolent resistance. Due to a huge imbalance in military power between Israel and Palestinians, the use of suicide bombers appears to be a permanent feature of Palestinian resistance. The number and intensity of attacks rose sharply in the first months of ].
On ], ], the ]i government released a report, based in part on documents allegedly captured during the ]i occupation of Arafat's ] headquarters, with copies of papers apparently signed by Arafat authorizing funding for the ]' activities. These documents, however, drew skepticism from various quarters because the ] military had forcefully prevented any independent observers or reporters from observing the operation.


In ], the Arab League made an offer to recognize Israel in exchange for Israeli retreat from all territories captured in the Six-Day War and statehood for Palestine. Many saw this offer, which included recognition of Israel by the Arab states, as a historic opportunity for comprehensive peace in the region. However, the Israeli government of ] ignored this offer and made visible efforts to neutralize and sidetrack this proposal, with some Israeli officials claiming that it would constitute a blow to Israel's security while not guaranteeing the cessation of suicide bombing attacks.
Others point to the constraints of the political situation, and argue that Arafat could neither condemn nor constrain the tactics employed; and that any attempt to do so would endanger his rule or his life, or more dangerously begin a disastrous civil war. Furthermore, ending violent resistance activities would amount to a de facto surrender to ], which has access to weapons that Palestinians so far lack. The use of suicide bombers appears to be a permanent feature of this conflict. The number and intensity of attacks rose sharply in the first months of ].


Israel's refusal of the Arab offer was followed by a Palestinian attack on Israel that led to more than 135 Israelis dead. Ariel Sharon subsequently stated that Arafat "assisted the terrorists and made himself an enemy of Israel and irrelevant to any peace negotiations". This was followed by the major Israeli invasion of the West Bank, during which Israel killed hundreds of Palestinians and razed entire city blocks in ] (see "]".)
In ], the Arab League made an offer to recognize Israel in exchange for Israeli retreat from all territories captured in the Six-Day War, statehood for Palestine and Arafat's Palestinian Authority and allowing right of return to Palestinuans. Supporters of this declaration saw this offer, which included recognition of Israel by the Arab states, as a historic opportunity for comprehensive peace in the region, while critics of this offer say that it would constitute a heavy blow to Israel's security, while not even guaranteeing Israel the cessation of suicide bombing attacks. Israel ignored the facetious offer.


Attempts by Israel to find another Palestinian leader more pliable by Israel had failed, and Arafat continued enjoying the support of the majority of Palestinians, including groups that would normally have been quite wary of supporting him.
This was followed by a terrorist attacks carried out by ] terrorists which led to the deaths of more than 135 Israelis. ], who previously pressured Arafat to speak strongly in Arabic against ]s, then declared that Arafat "assisted the terrorists and made himself an enemy of Israel and irrelevant to any peace negotiations". This was followed by the major Israeli invasion of the West Bank, during which ] killed hundreds of ]s and razed entire neighbourhood in ], and resulted in decrease of suicide bombings (see "]".)
So, Israel set out to isolate him, quite literally, by surrounding Arafat's headquarters and effectively imprisoning him there.


Israel held Arafat in virtual arrest in his ] headquarters for his last two years and eleven months of life, by announcing that if he left the compound he would be barred from returning. Israel's Prime Minister Ariel Sharon hinted on several occassions that Arafat could be assassinated by Israel, and Israel in ] offically declared that it had decided to "in principle, remove Arafat", a decision which because of Israel's refusal to state what "remove" meant hinted at assassination.
Persistent attempts by the Israeli government to identify another Palestinian leader to deal with had failed; and Arafat was enjoying the support of groups that, given his own history, would normally have been quite wary of dealing with him or of supporting him. ] emerged as a leader during the Al-Aqsa intifada, but Israel had him arrested and sentenced to 4 life terms.
Arafat was finally allowed to leave his compound on ], ] after intensive negotiations led to a settlement; six militants wanted by Israel, which considers them terrorists, who had been holed up with Arafat in his compound, would not be turned over to Israel, but neither would they be held in custody by the Palestinian Authority. Rather, a combination of British and American security personnel would ensure that the wanted men remained imprisoned in ]. With that, and a promise that he would issue a call in Arabic to the Palestinians to halt attacks on Israelis, Arafat was released. He issued such a call on ], ], but, as was the case before, his public call to halt attacks was ignored.

On ] ], ] President ] stated regarding Yasser Arafat: "The real problem is that there is no leadership that is able to say 'help us establish a state and we will fight terror and answer the needs of the Palestinians'". .


==Financial dealings== ==Financial dealings==
As the leader of ] resistance Arafat was the subject of ]i campaigns to discredit him. As the leader of ] resistance Arafat was the subject of ]i campaigns to discredit him.
Arafat was occasionally criticised by some, including Arab media, alleging corruption of the Palestinian Authority he headed.


The pro-Israel ] business magazine "Forbes" Arafat as sixth on its ] list "Kings, Queens and Despots" , estimating his personal wealth to "at least $300 million", without indicating its source for this claim. The pro-Israel ] business magazine "Forbes" Arafat as sixth on its ] list "Kings, Queens and Despots" , estimating his personal wealth to "at least $300 million", without indicating its source for this claim.
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==World support ==
==Relations with the Arab world==
Arafat enjoyed generally strong support in the ] world, but he was occasionally criticised by the Arab press. Arafat enjoyed generally strong support throughout the world, and especially among ] and ] nations, as a symbol of ] resistance against the ]i ].
Arafat's support tended to increase whenever he was pressured by Israel, such as when in 2003 Israel declared that it had decided to "in principle, remove Arafat", a statement which hinted at assassination.)

Arafat was by far the most popular Arab leader among the general populace of Arab nations. Arafat was by far the most popular Arab leader among the general populace of Arab nations.

The ] government, which regularly aligned itself with ], hesitantly supported Arafat largely for strategic and diplomatic reasons. After ] became ] president and ] occured the minimal U.S. support declined precipitiously and in ] ] Bush called for replacement of Arafat.


==Illness and death== ==Illness and death==

''Main article: ]''
''For more details, see:'' ].


On ], ], Arafat fell seriously ill; the next day, he was flown to ] for medical treatment. On ], ] he lapsed into a ] and was placed on life-support. He died at the hospital at 2:30am ] on ] ] at age 75. The cause of death has not been reported. On ], ], Arafat fell seriously ill; the next day, he was flown to ] for medical treatment. On ], ] he lapsed into a ] and was placed on life-support. He died at the hospital at 2:30am ] on ] ] at age 75. The cause of death has not been reported.
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On ], Arafat's official functions were transferred, pending elections, as follows: ] has become President of the Palestinian Authority, ] has become the leader of the PLO, ] has become head of ] and Prime Minister ] has taken over other positions. On ], Arafat's official functions were transferred, pending elections, as follows: ] has become President of the Palestinian Authority, ] has become the leader of the PLO, ] has become head of ] and Prime Minister ] has taken over other positions.


== Statements regarding Arafat's death == == Statements by World Leaders ==
A number of world leaders made statements summarizing Arafat's life and legacy:
''See also ]''

On ], ], the day of Arafat's death, a number of world leaders made statements summarizing his life and legacy:

=== Statements by World Leaders ===

] President ] called Arafat "a man of courage and conviction".

]n President ]: Arafat had given hope to millions "by instilling in them the knowledge and consciousness that despite current difficulties, they hold the gift of freedom in their hands".

]n Prime Minister ] said: "I think history will judge him very harshly for not having seized the opportunity in the year 2000 to embrace the offer that was very courageously made by the then Israeli Prime Minister, Ehud Barak, which involved the Israelis agreeing to 90 per cent of what the Palestinians had wanted."

] Prime Minister ] told ]: "The most important thing is to make sure we reinvigorate the peace process because there is misery for Palestinians, there is misery for Israelis who suffer terrorist activity." In a tribute to Yasser Arafat he expressed his condolences to Arafat's family and the Palestinian people, declaring: "President Arafat came to symbolise the Palestinian national movement He led his people to an historic acceptance of the need for a two-state solution."

Former U.S. President ] on Thursday offered condolences to Palestinians after the death of Yasser Arafat but said their leader had missed the opportunity to create lasting Middle East peace in 2000.


] ] said: "For nearly four decades, he expressed and symbolized in his person the national aspirations of the Palestinian people". ] ] said: "For nearly four decades, he expressed and symbolized in his person the national aspirations of the Palestinian people".
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] President ] said: "An outstanding leader of the Palestinian cause and... an outstanding politician.". ] President ] said: "An outstanding leader of the Palestinian cause and... an outstanding politician.".

] Prime Minister ] said: "President Arafat came to symbolise the Palestinian national movement. He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1994 jointly with Yitzhak Rabin in recognition of their efforts to achieve peace in the Middle East. He led his people to a historic acceptance and the need for a two-state solution.
That goal - of a viable Palestinian state alongside a secure Israel - is one that we must continue to work tirelessly to achieve."

] President ] said: "With him disappears a man of courage and conviction who for 40 years incarnated the Palestinians' fight for recognition of their national rights."


=== Statements by Palestinian leaders === === Statements by Palestinian leaders ===
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], spokeperson for the ] said: "The history will register his historic stance in Camp David when he rejected the huge Israeli and American pressures exercised on him and kept clinging to the goal of independent state, Jerusalem and the right to return. The march of president Arafat has some major achievements and some other failures." ], spokeperson for the ] said: "The history will register his historic stance in Camp David when he rejected the huge Israeli and American pressures exercised on him and kept clinging to the goal of independent state, Jerusalem and the right to return. The march of president Arafat has some major achievements and some other failures."


], ] leader said: "I do not hesitate accusing Israel of killing Yasser Arafat and I call on my brothers in Fatah and in the PNA not to keep silent in this regard. I call on my brothers at Fatah movement to reinforce the unity of the movement since it is the interest of Hamas and the entire Palestinian people that Fatah be united and strong. I call them also to avoid any dispute and in return we in Hamas and the entire Palestinian people will reinforce our national unity" ], ] leader said: "I do not hesitate accusing Israel of killing Yasser Arafat and I call on my brothers in Fatah and in the PNA not to keep silent in this regard. I call on my brothers at Fatah movement to reinforce the unity of the movement since it is the interest of Hamas and the entire Palestinian people that Fatah be united and strong. I call them also to avoid any dispute and in return we in Hamas and the entire Palestinian people will reinforce our national unity."


Arafats personal adviser, ], said: "The term of President Arafat has ended, however, the commitments and loyalty to his march concerned with the establishment of the state and the reinforcement of our identity are now the responsibility of the entire Palestinian people." Arafats personal adviser, Jebril Rjoub, said: "The term of President Arafat has ended, however, the commitments and loyalty to his march concerned with the establishment of the state and the reinforcement of our identity are now the responsibility of the entire Palestinian people."

<!-- Sources should be provided -->


=== Statements of Israeli leaders === === Statements of Israeli leaders ===

To Israelis, Arafat was an arch-] and later, an obstacle to peace. The general public atmosphere regarding his death was one of relief and joy over the death of a bitter and cruel enemy. Israeli officials, however, reacted with restraint. Israeli ] groups were uniform in welcoming Arafat's death.


Israeli Prime Minister ] said: "The recent events could be a historic turning point for the Middle East. Israel is a country that seeks peace and will continue its efforts to reach a peace deal with the Palestinians without delay." Israeli Prime Minister ] said: "The recent events could be a historic turning point for the Middle East. Israel is a country that seeks peace and will continue its efforts to reach a peace deal with the Palestinians without delay."
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Israeli Labor Party leader ] said: "There is no doubt that with the death of Yasser Arafat an era has ended... for good or bad. The biggest mistake of Arafat was when he turned to terror. His greatest achievements were when he tried to build peace." Israeli Labor Party leader ] said: "There is no doubt that with the death of Yasser Arafat an era has ended... for good or bad. The biggest mistake of Arafat was when he turned to terror. His greatest achievements were when he tried to build peace."


Israeli right-wing groups were uniform in welcoming Arafat's death.
Israeli Justice Minister ] said: "(It is) good that the world is rid of him... The sun is shining in the Middle East." Israeli Justice Minister ] said: "(It is) good that the world is rid of him... The sun is shining in the Middle East."

] Chairman ] said: "Today a heavy cloud has been removed from the values of life, freedom and liberty .. is gone, but his teachings have sunk like poison into the hearts of his people, and it will take many years to heal this wound ... The Palestinians must now strive to return to a culture of life, justice and compassion, so that in the future, we will be able to speak together to achieve peace and quiet."


==Quotes== ==Quotes==
These are some of the notable statements Yasser Arafat made over the years: These are some of the notable statements Yasser Arafat made over the years:


], ]: "I come bearing an olive branch in one hand, and the freedom fighter's gun in the other. Do not let the olive branch fall from my hand." - .
]: &quot;Zionism is an embodiment of neo-Nazism... intellectual terrorism and racial exploitation.&quot;

]: &quot;Our new generation is tired of waiting for something to happen. Isn't it better to die bringing down your enemy than to await a slow, miserable death rotting in a tent in the desert?&quot;

]: "I come bearing an olive branch in one hand, and the freedom fighter's gun in the other. Do not let the olive branch fall from my hand." - ], New York]

]: &quot;Those who call us terrorists wish to prevent world public opinion from discovering the truth about us and from seeing the justice on our faces. They seek to bide the terrorism and tyranny of their acts, and our own posture of self-defence.&quot;
- ], New York]

]: &quot;I am very sad and very shocked for this awful and terrible crime against one of the brave leaders of Israel and the peacemakers.&quot; - Arafat Speaking On the assassination of Israeli PM ].

]: &quot;This child, who is grasping the stone, facing the tank, is it not the greatest message to the world when that hero becomes a martyr? We are proud of them&quot; (Palestinian Authority Television)


], ]: &quot;Those who call us terrorists wish to prevent world public opinion from discovering the truth about us and from seeing the justice on our faces. They seek to bide the terrorism and tyranny of their acts, and our own posture of self-defence.&quot;
]: "I swear to God, I will see , whether as a martyr or alive. Please, God, give me the honor of becoming a martyr in the fight for Jerusalem."
.


], ]: &quot;This child, who is grasping the stone, facing the tank, is it not the greatest message to the world when that hero becomes a martyr? We are proud of them&quot; (Palestinian Authority Television)
]: &quot;This is my homeland; no one can kick me out&quot; Yasser Arafat's reply to ]'s threat to expel him from the occupied territories.


], ]: "I swear to God, I will see , whether as a martyr or alive. Please, God, give me the honor of becoming a martyr in the fight for Jerusalem."
]: &quot;Let collapse, it will be the fault of Israel and the Americans.&quot; Yasser Arafat, President of the Palestinian Authority, to Edward G. Abington, a former State Department official who is now a Washington consultant to the Palestinian Authority regarding the future of the ]


], ]: &quot;This is my homeland; no one can kick me out.&quot; Yasser Arafat's reply to ]'s threat to expel him from the occupied territories.
]: &quot;God willing, I will come back.&quot; - Yasser Arafat, President of the Palestinian Authority, on being airlifted in stretcher to France for urgent medical care after two and a half years of confinement to West Bank headquarters by the Israeli army.


==See Also== ==See Also==
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* , Times Online, UK * , Times Online, UK
* from Times Online, UK * from Times Online, UK
*
* *
* *

Revision as of 19:33, 13 November 2004

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Yasser Arafat (Arabic: ياسر عرفات) (August, 1929 – November 11, 2004), born Muhammad Abd al-Rahman ar-Rauf al-Qudwah al-Husayni, also known as Abu Ammar) was the President of the Palestinian Authority (leader since 1993, elected in 1996); leader of Fatah and Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) (since 1969), and co-winner of the 1994 Nobel Peace Prize.

Biography

Early life

Arafat was born to a Palestinian family. His father was textile merchant from a family that had some Egyptian relatives. His mother was from a prominent Palestinian family in Jerusalem. According to Arafat and other sources, he was born in Jerusalem on August 4, 1929 . His date and place of birth have been disputed; some sources contend that he was born in Cairo on August 24, 1929. .

Arafat’s childhood was divided between Cairo and Jerusalem. Arafat attended the University of King Faud I (later renamed Cairo University) and sought to understand Judaism and Zionism by engaging in discussions with Jews and reading publications by Theodor Herzl and other Zionists .

During the 1948 Arab-Israeli war, Arafat left the university and, along with other Palestinians, sought to enter Palestine to fight for Palestinian independence. He was disarmed and turned back by the Egyptian army which did not allow poorly trained partisans to enter the war zone.

After returning to the university, Arafat joined the Muslim Brotherhood and served as president of the Union of Palestinian Students from 1952 to 1956. In 1956, he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering. Arafat served as a second lieutenant in the Egyptian army during the Suez Crisis.

After Suez, Arafat moved to Kuwait, where he worked as an engineer and later set up his own contracting firm.

Fatah and the PLO

In 1957 in Kuwait, Arafat with a group of refugees from Gaza helped found Fatah, an organization dedicated to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state. Fatah's first commando operation was an unsuccessful attempt to blow up an Israeli water pump station in 1964.

The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) was formed in 1964 as a political organization unifying all resistance groups with the common goal of liberation of Palestine and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.

After the Six-Day War, Israel started attacking Palestinian resistance organizations. In 1968, Israeli army attacked Fatah in the Jordanian village of Al-Karameh; 150 Palestinians and 29 Israeli soldiers were killed. Despite heavy losses, Palestinians considered this battle a victory because the Israeli army ultimately withdrew. This was a turning point for the resistance movement because it showed that resistance can effect changes. Many Palestinians regarded Fatah and Arafat as heroes for daring to confront the much more powerful Israeli army, and many young Palestinians began joining the ranks of Fatah. Fatah soon became dominant faction within the PLO and in 1969 Arafat was named chairman of the PLO. Arafat became commander in chief of the Palestinian Revolutionary Forces in 1971 and the head of the PLO's political department in 1973.

Jordan

In late 1960s, tensions rose between Palestinian resistance groups and the Jordanian government. Palestinian groups had managed to control several strategic positions in Jordan, including the oil refinery near Az Zarq. Jordan considered this a growing threat to its sovereignty and security and attempted to disarm the Palestinian militias. Open fighting between Jordan and Palestinian resistance groups erupted in June of 1970.

Arab governments attempted to negotiate a peaceful solution, but the Jordan government responded to continued militant activites with escalation in repressive measures; on September 16 Jordanian King Hussein declared martial law. On that same day Arafat became supreme commander of the Palestine Liberation Army (PLA), the regular military force of the PLO. In the ensuing civil war the PLO had the active support of Syria, which sent around 200 tanks into Jordan to aid the PLO. The U.S and Israel also got involved: U.S. Navy dispatched its Sixth Fleet to the eastern Mediterranean, and Israel deployed its troops to aid King Hussein if necessary. By September 24 the Jordanian army achieved dominance, and the PLA agreed to a series of ceasefires . See also History of Jordan and Black September.

Lebanon

From Jordan, Arafat and the PLO relocated to Lebanon. Because of Lebanon's weak central government, the PLO was able to operate independently of Lebanese authorities. During the Israeli attacks on Lebanon the PLO began launching artillery strikes and guerilla attacks on Israel from Lebanon.

In September of 1972 the Palestinian group Black September kidnapped 11 Israeli athletes at the Munich Olympic Games; all hostages and most hostage takers were eventually killed. This attack was widely condemned and Arafat publicly disassociated himself from such attacks. In 1974 Arafat ordered the PLO to stop acts of violence outside Israel and Israel occupied territories. That year Arafat became the first representative of a nongovernmental organization to address a plenary session of the UN General Assembly.

The Fatah movement continued to launch attacks against Israeli targets. In the late 1970s several new leftist organizations were formed in Palestine and carried out attacks on Israel and Israeli occupation colonies. Israel claimed that Arafat was in ultimate control over these organizations, but Arafat denied responsibility for acts of other groups.

In 1974, Arab states declared the PLO as the sole legitimate representative of all Palestinians. The PLO was admitted to full membership in the Arab League in 1976.

Israel claimed that the PLO had played an important part in the Lebanese Civil War. Some Lebanese Christians claimed that the PLO was responsible for the deaths of tens of thousands of Lebanese citizens killed by Israel.

Israel allied itself with the Lebanese Christians and conducted two major invasions of Lebanon. In the First invasion in 1978, the Israeli military and South Lebanon Army (SLA) occupied a narrow strip of land, ostensibly as a security zone, and killed several thousand Lebanese and Palestinians. In the Second invasion in 1982, Israel expanded its occupation to most of South Lebanon, but was eventually forced to retreat back to the previously occupied area in 1985. During this invasion Israeli army killed about 18,000 Lebanese and Palestinians and helped the Christian Phalangist militia massacre in the Sabra and Shatila refugee camps about 2,750 Palestinian refugees, mostly civilians. Ariel Sharon, Israeli Minister of Defense at the time, was found by the Israeli Kahan Commission "personally responsible" for the massacre and was dismissed from his post; he is now Prime Minister of Israel.

Tunisia

In September 1982, during the Israeli invasion of Lebanon, the U.S. had brokered a cease-fire deal in which Arafat and the PLO were allowed to leave Lebanon. Arafat and his leadership moved to Tunisia, which remained his center of operations up until 1993.

During the 1980s, Arafat received assistance from Arab nations, which allowed him to reconstruct the Palestinian resistance movement in exile. After the spontaneous First Palestinian uprising in December of 1987, Arafat took control of the uprising.

On November 15, 1988, the PLO proclaimed the independent State of Palestine, a government-in-exile for the Palestinians, which initially laid claim to the whole area of the British Mandate of Palestine, rejecting the idea of partition. However, in the December 13, 1988 address, Arafat declared acceptance of UN Security Council Resolution 242, promised future recognition of Israel and renounced "terrorism in all its forms, including state terrorism" .

The Arafat's recognition of Israel was dictated by the U.S. administration, which had insisted on the recognition as a necessary starting point in the Camp David peace negotiations. Arafat's statement indicated a shift from one of the PLO's primary aims -- liberation of the entire Palestine (which implicitly negates the validity of the proclamation of State of Israel) -- towards the establishment of two separate entities, an Israeli state within the 1949 armistice lines and a Palestinian state in the areas assigned to Palestinians by the U.N.. On April 2, 1989, Arafat was elected president of the proclaimed State of Palestine by the governing body of the PLO.

Subsequently, during the 1991 Madrid Conference Israel began direct negotiations with the PLO for the first time.

In 1991 Arafat opposed the U.S.-led attack on Iraq. As a result the U.S. administration began boycotting him, which impeded the Israeli-Palestinian negotiations underway.

In 1990 Arafat married Suha Tawil, a Palestinian Christian Catholic who converted to Islam.

Palestinian Authority

Yitzhak Rabin, Bill Clinton, and Arafat during the Oslo Accords on September 13, 1993

The U.S. continued pressing both sides to negotiate and this pressure lead to the 1993 Oslo Accords. The main points of this agreement were mutual recognition of Israel and the PLO, Israel's withdrawal from the West Bank and Gaza Strip and implementation of Palestinian self rule. For this peace initiative Arafat was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1994, along with Israeli leaders Shimon Peres and Yitzhak Rabin.

On January 20, 1996, Arafat was elected president of the Palestinian Authority (PA), the provisional entity created by the Oslo Accords. He received an overwhelming 87% majority ovf vote (the other candidate was Samiha Khalil). Independent international observers reported the elections to have been free and fair. Further elections were announced for January 2002, but were later postponed, reportedly because of inability to campaign due to Israeli military attacks and restrictions on freedom of movement in the territories occupied by Israel.

In mid-1996, following multiple suicide bombings in which scores of Israelis were killed, and Israeli attacks in which hundreds of Palestinians were killed, Benjamin Netanyahu was elected Prime Minister of Israel. Palestinian-Israeli relations grew even more hostile as a consequence of continued attacks and counter-attacks. Netanyahu actively obstructed the transition to Palestinian statehood outlined in the Oslo accords. The U.S. President Bill Clinton intervened in 1998, arranging a meeting with the two leaders. The resulting Wye River Memorandum of October 23, 1998 presented steps to be taken by the Israeli government and the PA to implement the Oslo accords.

However, Israel made no visible attempts to live up to either the Oslo or the Wye River agreements; to the contrary, Israel steadily expanded its occupation, doubled the population in occupation colonies and kept obstructing Palestinian self-rule.

Arafat continued negotiations with the next Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak. During the Camp David negotiations Barak offered a Palestinian state in parts of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, with East Jerusalem as its capital, a return of an unspecified "limited" number of refugees and some unspecified compensation for the rest. However, the proposed Palestinian areas did not include all of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip and were not contiguous but fragmented and surrounded by Israeli occupation colonies, and criss-crossed by numerous checkpoints and Jewish-only roads. The resolution of the important issue of refugees was unclear and various other issues, such as water rights were unresolved. Despites Clinton's pressure, Arafat rejected the offer. Several months later, in the new round of talks at Taba, Egypt, Barak made a more favorable offer which was viewed positively by Palestinians. However, in the meantime Barak lost his re-election bid and the incoming Prime Minister Ariel Sharon blocked further negotiations. In 2000, after a provocative visit by Ariel Sharon to the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound considered sacred by Muslims, violence broke out, marking the beginning of the Second Palestinian Uprising.

Recent news and commentary

Arafat's long personal and political survival was considered by many as a sign of his mastery of asymmetric warfare and his skill as a tactician, given the extremely dangerous nature of politics of the Middle East and the frequency of assassinations. Some commentators believe his personal survival is largely due to the Israel's fear that he could become a martyr for the Palestinian cause if he were to be assassinated or even just arrested by Israel.

Arafat's ability to adapt to new political situations is shown by his handling of the rise of the Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad organizations, which were using religious motives to inspire resistance against Israel's occupation. In the 1990s, these groups seemed to threaten Arafat's capacity to hold together a unified secular nationalist organization with a goal of statehood. They appeared to be out of Arafat's influence and control, and were actively fighting with Arafat's Fatah group. Israel claimed that activities of these groups were tolerated by Arafat as a means of applying pressure on Israel, while many argue that it was Israel's frequent strikes against the Palestinian Authority and Arafat's security infrastructure that made it difficult for Arafat to counter the increasing influence of militant groups. However, despite all the differences and infighting, spokesmen for Hamas and Islamic Jihad had at times publicly supported Arafat, suggesting that the common Palestinian goal of freedom looms large over infighting between various factions.

Some analysts argued that Arafat could neither condemn nor constrain the militant tactics and that any attempt to do so would have endanger his rule or his life. Furthermore, ending violent resistance activities would amount to a de facto surrender to Israel because Israel had never ceded anything, and actually continually expanded its occupation during periods of nonviolent resistance. Due to a huge imbalance in military power between Israel and Palestinians, the use of suicide bombers appears to be a permanent feature of Palestinian resistance. The number and intensity of attacks rose sharply in the first months of 2002.

In March 2002, the Arab League made an offer to recognize Israel in exchange for Israeli retreat from all territories captured in the Six-Day War and statehood for Palestine. Many saw this offer, which included recognition of Israel by the Arab states, as a historic opportunity for comprehensive peace in the region. However, the Israeli government of Ariel Sharon ignored this offer and made visible efforts to neutralize and sidetrack this proposal, with some Israeli officials claiming that it would constitute a blow to Israel's security while not guaranteeing the cessation of suicide bombing attacks.

Israel's refusal of the Arab offer was followed by a Palestinian attack on Israel that led to more than 135 Israelis dead. Ariel Sharon subsequently stated that Arafat "assisted the terrorists and made himself an enemy of Israel and irrelevant to any peace negotiations". This was followed by the major Israeli invasion of the West Bank, during which Israel killed hundreds of Palestinians and razed entire city blocks in Jenin (see "Operation Defensive Shield".)

Attempts by Israel to find another Palestinian leader more pliable by Israel had failed, and Arafat continued enjoying the support of the majority of Palestinians, including groups that would normally have been quite wary of supporting him. So, Israel set out to isolate him, quite literally, by surrounding Arafat's headquarters and effectively imprisoning him there.

Israel held Arafat in virtual arrest in his Ramallah headquarters for his last two years and eleven months of life, by announcing that if he left the compound he would be barred from returning. Israel's Prime Minister Ariel Sharon hinted on several occassions that Arafat could be assassinated by Israel, and Israel in 2003 offically declared that it had decided to "in principle, remove Arafat", a decision which because of Israel's refusal to state what "remove" meant hinted at assassination.

Financial dealings

As the leader of Palestinian resistance Arafat was the subject of Israeli campaigns to discredit him. Arafat was occasionally criticised by some, including Arab media, alleging corruption of the Palestinian Authority he headed.

The pro-Israel U.S. business magazine "Forbes" Arafat as sixth on its 2003 list "Kings, Queens and Despots" , estimating his personal wealth to "at least $300 million", without indicating its source for this claim.

However, as Arafat lived frugally and had no known major possessions, these claims appear to have been based solely on Arafat's control over Palestinian public-funds.

In 2003 the International Monetary Fund (IMF) conducted an audit of the Palestinian Authority and stated that Arafat diverted $900 million in public funds to a special bank account controlled by Arafat and the PA Chief Economic Financial Advisor. The IMF did not claim that there were any improprieties and it specifically stated that most of the funds have been used to invest in Palestinian assets, both internally and abroad. An investigation of PA finances by European Union also found no improprieties.

World support

Arafat enjoyed generally strong support throughout the world, and especially among Arab and Third world nations, as a symbol of Palestinian resistance against the Israeli occupation. Arafat was by far the most popular Arab leader among the general populace of Arab nations.

The U.S government, which regularly aligned itself with Israel, hesitantly supported Arafat largely for strategic and diplomatic reasons. After George W. Bush became U.S. president and September 11 attacks occured the minimal U.S. support declined precipitiously and in June 2002 Bush called for replacement of Arafat.

Illness and death

For more details, see: Death of Yasser Arafat.

On October 28, 2004, Arafat fell seriously ill; the next day, he was flown to France for medical treatment. On November 3, 2004 he lapsed into a coma and was placed on life-support. He died at the hospital at 2:30am UTC on November 11 2004 at age 75. The cause of death has not been reported.

Isreal refused Palestinian requests to bury Arafat in or near East Jerusalem. After a state funeral in Egypt, Arafat was laid to rest in a grave within his former headquarters in the city of Ramallah in the West Bank on November 12, 2004.

On November 11, Arafat's official functions were transferred, pending elections, as follows: Rawhi Fattuh has become President of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas has become the leader of the PLO, Farouk Kaddoumi has become head of Fatah and Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei has taken over other positions.

Statements by World Leaders

A number of world leaders made statements summarizing Arafat's life and legacy:

UN Secretary General Kofi Annan said: "For nearly four decades, he expressed and symbolized in his person the national aspirations of the Palestinian people".

The U.S. President George W. Bush said: "My first reaction is: God bless his soul. My second reacton is that we will continue to work for a free Palestinian state that's at peace with Israel."

Russian President Vladimir Putin said: "A great political leader of international significance".

Chinese President Hu Jintao said: "An outstanding leader of the Palestinian cause and... an outstanding politician.".

British Prime Minister Tony Blair said: "President Arafat came to symbolise the Palestinian national movement. He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1994 jointly with Yitzhak Rabin in recognition of their efforts to achieve peace in the Middle East. He led his people to a historic acceptance and the need for a two-state solution. That goal - of a viable Palestinian state alongside a secure Israel - is one that we must continue to work tirelessly to achieve."

French President Jacques Chirac said: "With him disappears a man of courage and conviction who for 40 years incarnated the Palestinians' fight for recognition of their national rights."

Statements by Palestinian leaders

Palestinian cabinet minister Saeb Erekat said: "Arafat's legacy will be the one, the leader, the president who united the Palestinian people, the leader who kept the Palestinian national identity from extinction, the man who initiated the peace of the brave, the man who united the Palestinian people and it's his legacy of peace. It's the determination today that we continue the path of freedom and independence and peace, the path of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital."

Maher A-Taher, spokeperson for the Popular Front for Palestine Liberation said: "The history will register his historic stance in Camp David when he rejected the huge Israeli and American pressures exercised on him and kept clinging to the goal of independent state, Jerusalem and the right to return. The march of president Arafat has some major achievements and some other failures."

Khaled Mesha'al, Hamas leader said: "I do not hesitate accusing Israel of killing Yasser Arafat and I call on my brothers in Fatah and in the PNA not to keep silent in this regard. I call on my brothers at Fatah movement to reinforce the unity of the movement since it is the interest of Hamas and the entire Palestinian people that Fatah be united and strong. I call them also to avoid any dispute and in return we in Hamas and the entire Palestinian people will reinforce our national unity."

Arafats personal adviser, Jebril Rjoub, said: "The term of President Arafat has ended, however, the commitments and loyalty to his march concerned with the establishment of the state and the reinforcement of our identity are now the responsibility of the entire Palestinian people."

Statements of Israeli leaders

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said: "The recent events could be a historic turning point for the Middle East. Israel is a country that seeks peace and will continue its efforts to reach a peace deal with the Palestinians without delay."

Israeli Labor Party leader Shimon Peres said: "There is no doubt that with the death of Yasser Arafat an era has ended... for good or bad. The biggest mistake of Arafat was when he turned to terror. His greatest achievements were when he tried to build peace."

Israeli right-wing groups were uniform in welcoming Arafat's death. Israeli Justice Minister Yossef Lapid said: "(It is) good that the world is rid of him... The sun is shining in the Middle East."

Quotes

These are some of the notable statements Yasser Arafat made over the years:

November 13, 1974: "I come bearing an olive branch in one hand, and the freedom fighter's gun in the other. Do not let the olive branch fall from my hand." - Speech to the UN General Assembly.

November 13, 1974: "Those who call us terrorists wish to prevent world public opinion from discovering the truth about us and from seeing the justice on our faces. They seek to bide the terrorism and tyranny of their acts, and our own posture of self-defence." Speech to the UN General Assembly.

January 15, 2002: "This child, who is grasping the stone, facing the tank, is it not the greatest message to the world when that hero becomes a martyr? We are proud of them" (Palestinian Authority Television)

January 21, 2002: "I swear to God, I will see , whether as a martyr or alive. Please, God, give me the honor of becoming a martyr in the fight for Jerusalem."

September 11, 2003: "This is my homeland; no one can kick me out." Yasser Arafat's reply to Ariel Sharon's threat to expel him from the occupied territories.

See Also

External links

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