Yasser Arafat

Yasser Arafat was a central figure in Palestinian politics for many decades.

He held several major leadership roles during his career. He served as the chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) from 1969 to 2004. He was also the President of Palestine starting in 1989. From 1994 until his death, he led the Palestinian Authority (PNA). His political identity was defined by Arab nationalism and socialism. People often called him by his kunya, or nickname, Abu Ammar.

Arafat's early life was marked by family changes and shifting locations. Most historical sources state he was born in Cairo, Egypt, in August 1929. Some sources suggest he may have been born in Jerusalem instead. His father, Abdel Raouf al-Qudwa al-Husseini, was a textile merchant from Gaza City. Arafat was one of seven children. His mother, Zahwa Abul Saud, passed away from a kidney ailment in 1933.

After her death, Arafat lived with his uncle in the Mughrabi Quarter of Jerusalem for four years. He eventually returned to Cairo to continue his education.

He attended the University of King Fuad I, where he studied civil engineering.

He graduated in 1950. During his university years, he became deeply involved in political ideas. He studied the writings of prominent Zionists like Theodor Herzl. He also became an Arab nationalist. In 1948, he participated in the Arab–Israeli War. He fought alongside the Muslim Brotherhood in the Gaza area. He later served as president of the General Union of Palestinian Students from 1952 to 1956.

In the late 1950s, Arafat helped found a political and paramilitary group called Fatah.

He co-founded the group with Salah Khalaf and Khalil al-Wazir. The name Fatah is a reverse acronym for the Palestinian National Liberation Movement. The group wanted to establish a Palestinian state through armed struggle. Fatah was unique because it did not rely on other Arab governments for support. Arafat led Fatah from 1959 until 2004. In 1967, he joined the PLO, and by 1969, he was elected chair of the Palestinian National Council.

As his influence grew, Arafat and Fatah moved through several different countries. Fatah's presence in Jordan led to military clashes with the Jordanian government. The group then relocated to Lebanon. There, Fatah was involved in the Lebanese Civil War. The organization also became a target of Israeli military actions during the 1978 South Lebanon conflict and the 1982 Lebanon War. By 1983, Arafat had moved his base to Tunisia. During his time in Tunisia, his political approach began to change. He moved away from open conflict and toward the idea of negotiation.

In 1988, Arafat made a major shift by acknowledging Israel's right to exist. He began seeking a two-state solution to the Israeli–Palestinian conflict.

He participated in several important diplomatic efforts. These included the Madrid Conference of 1991 and the 2000 Camp David Summit. Most notably, he worked on the 1993 Oslo Accords. For his role in these negotiations, Arafat won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1994.

He shared this award with Israeli leaders Yitzhak Rabin and Shimon Peres.

Arafat's life ended in late 2004. At that time, he had been living in a compound in Ramallah. He had been confined there by the Israeli army for over two years. He fell into a coma and died on November 11, 2004. The exact cause of his death is still debated by experts. A Swiss team concluded he was radiologically poisoned. However, Russian and French investigations found no evidence of foul play.

Today, Arafat remains a very controversial figure. Many Palestinians see him as a martyr for their national goals. Conversely, many Israelis viewed him as a terrorist. Even among Palestinians, some rivals criticized his leadership and his concessions to Israel.