- 09 Oct 2004 18:35
#474495
Yasir Arafat
Yasir Arafat's Profile
Yasir Arafat hardly needs an introduction. He has become the symbol of Palestinian resistance. But what do we know of this dogged leader?
He was born in 1929 in Gaza Strip, the son of a merchant, and named Muhammad. He picked up the nickname Yasir (Easy), a moniker many politicians might question. His mother died when he was four.
Even as a teenager, Arafat had a political conscience. He started smuggling arms to fighters resisting the Israeli occupation of 1948, before travelling to Cairo to study engineering. There he formed the Palestinian Graduates Association that sent members to fight British, French and Israeli troops during the Suez Crisis in 1956.
Later, while working in Kuwait, Arafat founded the revolutionary movement Fatah (Palestine’s Liberation Movement) and published Falestinuna, a magazine that concentrated on the Palestinians’ suffering. He founded the first liberation office in 1965 in Algeria.
His fierce resistance to the Israeli occupation of Palestine first marked his political path. He then started to believe that the Palestinians’ rights could best be won through the peace process and negotiations.
Based in Jordan, Arafat was recognised in 1967 for leading resistance operations against Israel.
In 1969, the Palestinian National Council elected him as chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organisation’s executive committee.
The Palestinian forces moved to Lebanon after clashes erupted between the Palestinians and Jordanians, in events known as Black September.
After Jordan and Lebanon, Tunisia was the third base for the Palestinian resistance cells. Arafat firmly tried to keep the PLO united.
In November 1988, the Palestinian National Council released a resolution declaring the independent state of Palestine, with Jerusalem as its capital.
In December 1988, Arafat addressed the UN General Assembly’s session, declaring the PLO’s support of Israel’s right to exist. As a result, he gained credibility in the West, but at the same time, made enemies in Palestinian and Arab ranks.
In April 1989, the Palestinian Central Council declared Arafat president of the Palestinian state.
In 1993, Arafat and Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin held secret meetings and signed the Oslo Accord, which led to establishing the Palestinian National Authority in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, in return for acknowledging Israel’s right to exist.
In 1994, Arafat and Rabin signed the Cairo Accord in order to apply Palestinian self-rule over Gaza and Jericho.
After 27 years in exile, Arafat returned to Gaza in July 1994.
In 1996, he won 83% of the votes, and was elected chairman of the Palestinian Authority. He moved ahead with the peace process, and signed the Wye River Accord in October 1998.
Arafat, President Bill Clinton and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak attended a tripartite conference in July 2000 in Camp David, discussing issues of Jerusalem, refugees and settlements, but reached no solutions.
Arafat’s relationship with the US has deteriorated since the outbreak of the al-Aqsa Intifada in 2000.
Arafat has been under siege at his headquarters compound in Ram Allah since March 2002. The Israeli government now aims to oust him, take him to court or kill him.
Yasir Arafat's Profile
Yasir Arafat hardly needs an introduction. He has become the symbol of Palestinian resistance. But what do we know of this dogged leader?
He was born in 1929 in Gaza Strip, the son of a merchant, and named Muhammad. He picked up the nickname Yasir (Easy), a moniker many politicians might question. His mother died when he was four.
Even as a teenager, Arafat had a political conscience. He started smuggling arms to fighters resisting the Israeli occupation of 1948, before travelling to Cairo to study engineering. There he formed the Palestinian Graduates Association that sent members to fight British, French and Israeli troops during the Suez Crisis in 1956.
Later, while working in Kuwait, Arafat founded the revolutionary movement Fatah (Palestine’s Liberation Movement) and published Falestinuna, a magazine that concentrated on the Palestinians’ suffering. He founded the first liberation office in 1965 in Algeria.
His fierce resistance to the Israeli occupation of Palestine first marked his political path. He then started to believe that the Palestinians’ rights could best be won through the peace process and negotiations.
Based in Jordan, Arafat was recognised in 1967 for leading resistance operations against Israel.
In 1969, the Palestinian National Council elected him as chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organisation’s executive committee.
The Palestinian forces moved to Lebanon after clashes erupted between the Palestinians and Jordanians, in events known as Black September.
After Jordan and Lebanon, Tunisia was the third base for the Palestinian resistance cells. Arafat firmly tried to keep the PLO united.
In November 1988, the Palestinian National Council released a resolution declaring the independent state of Palestine, with Jerusalem as its capital.
In December 1988, Arafat addressed the UN General Assembly’s session, declaring the PLO’s support of Israel’s right to exist. As a result, he gained credibility in the West, but at the same time, made enemies in Palestinian and Arab ranks.
In April 1989, the Palestinian Central Council declared Arafat president of the Palestinian state.
In 1993, Arafat and Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin held secret meetings and signed the Oslo Accord, which led to establishing the Palestinian National Authority in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, in return for acknowledging Israel’s right to exist.
In 1994, Arafat and Rabin signed the Cairo Accord in order to apply Palestinian self-rule over Gaza and Jericho.
After 27 years in exile, Arafat returned to Gaza in July 1994.
In 1996, he won 83% of the votes, and was elected chairman of the Palestinian Authority. He moved ahead with the peace process, and signed the Wye River Accord in October 1998.
Arafat, President Bill Clinton and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak attended a tripartite conference in July 2000 in Camp David, discussing issues of Jerusalem, refugees and settlements, but reached no solutions.
Arafat’s relationship with the US has deteriorated since the outbreak of the al-Aqsa Intifada in 2000.
Arafat has been under siege at his headquarters compound in Ram Allah since March 2002. The Israeli government now aims to oust him, take him to court or kill him.
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