Yasser Arafat From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search "Yasir Arafat" redirects here.

For the cricketer, see Yasir Arafat (cricketer . !"#$% $&"' Yasser Arafat (Y(sir )Araf(t *unya: A+u )Ammar ( , -A+. )Amm(r Yasser Arafat /ortrait of Arafat 0st /resident of the /alestinian 1ational Authority 2n office January 34, 0556 7 1ovem+er 00, 3448 /rime 9inister 9ahmoud A++as Ahmed :urei ;ucceeded +y <a=hi Fattuh (interim 9ahmoud A++as >orn August 38, 0535(0535?4@?38 Aairo, BgyptC0D Eied 1ovem+er 00, 3448 (aged FG /aris, France 1ationality /alestinian /olitical party Fatah ;pouse ;uha Arafat Ahildren Hah=a Arafat <eligion 2slamC3D 9ohammed A+del <ahman A+del <aouf Arafat al?:ud=a al?Iusseini (Ara+ic: !"#$% JKL$MN OP% OQRS TUVWRMN XKOYMN (August 38, 0535 7 1ovem+er 00, 3448 , popularly kno=n as Yasser Arafat (!"#$% $&"' or +y his kunya A+u Ammar (Z"Q% [\] , =as a /alestinian leader. Ie =as Ahairman of the /alestine ^i+eration _rgani`ation, /resident of the /alestinian 1ational Authority,CaD and leader of the secular Fatah political party, =hich he founded in 05G5.C8D Arafat spent much of his life fighting against 2srael in the name of /alestinian self?determination. _riginally opposed to 2srael-s ebistence, he modified his position in 05@@ =hen he accepted c1 ;ecurity Aouncil <esolution 383. Arafat and his movement operated from several Ara+ countries. 2n the late 0564s and early 05F4s, Fatah faced off =ith Jordan in a +rief civil =ar. Forced out of Jordan and into ^e+anon, Arafat and Fatah =ere mador targets of 2srael-s 05F@ and 05@3 invasions of that country. While the madority of the /alestinian people, regardless of political ideology or faction, vie=ed him as a freedom fighter and martyr =ho sym+oli`ed their national aspirations, many 2sraelis descri+ed him as a terrorist for the many attacks his faction led against civilians.CGD ^ater in his career, Arafat engaged in a series of negotiations =ith the government of 2srael to end the decades?long conflict +et=een that country and the /^_. ehese included the 9adrid Aonference of 0550, the 055a _slo Accords and the 3444 Aamp Eavid ;ummit. Iis political rivals, including 2slamists and several /^_ leftists, often denounced him for +eing corrupt or too su+missive in his concessions to the 2sraeli government. 2n 0558, Arafat received the 1o+el /eace /ri`e, together =ith Yit`hak <a+in and ;himon /eres, for the negotiations at _slo. Euring this time, Iamas and other militant organi`ations rose to po=er and shook the foundations of the authority Fatah under Arafat had esta+lished in the /alestinian territories. 2n late 3448, after effectively +eing confined =ithin his <amallah compound for over t=o years +y the 2sraeli army, Arafat +ecame ill and fell into a coma. While the precise cause of death remains unkno=n, doctors spoke of idiopathic throm+ocytopenic purpura and cirrhosis, +ut no autopsy =as performed. Arafat died on 1ovem+er 00, 3448 at the age of FG. Aontents ChideD f 0 Barly life

o 0.0 >irth and childhood o 0.3 Bducation and 058@ Ara+72sraeli War o 0.a 1ame f 3 <ise of Fatah o 3.0 Founding of Fatah o 3.3 ^eader of the /alestinians o 3.a >attle of *arameh f a Jordan f 8 ^e+anon o 8.0 eerrorist attacks in 05F4s and official recognition o 8.3 Fatah involvement in ^e+anese Aivil War f G eunisia o G.0 First 2ntifada o G.3 Ahange in direction f 6 /alestinian Authority and peace negotiations o 6.0 _slo Accords o 6.3 Bsta+lishing authority in the territories o 6.a _ther peace agreements f F /olitical survival o F.0 <elations =ith Iamas and other militant groups o F.3 Attempts to marginali`e f @ Financial dealings f 5 2llness and death o 5.0 /oison and A2E; controversy f 04 Aftermath o 04.0 >urial o 04.3 ;uccessor f 00 ;ee also f 03 1otes f 0a Further reading f 08 Bbternal links CeditD Barly life CeditD >irth and childhood A portrait of young Arafat, 0584s Yasser Arafat =as +orn in Aairo to /alestinian parents.C0D Iis father, A+del <aouf al?:ud=a al? Iusseini, =as a ga`an, his mother 7 Yasser-s paternal grandmother 7 =as Bgyptian. Arafat-s father =orked as a tebtile merchant in Aairo-s religiously mibed ;akakini Eistrict. Arafat =as the second? youngest of seven children and =as, along =ith his younger +rother Fathi, the only offspring +orn in Aairo. Iis mother, Hah=a A+ul ;aud, =as from a Jerusalem family. ;he died from a kidney ailment in 05aa, =hen Arafat =as four years of age.C6D Arafat-s first visit to Jerusalem came =hen his father, una+le to raise seven children alone, sent him and his +rother Fathi to their mother-s family in the 9oroccan :uarter of the _ld Aity. ehey lived there =ith their uncle ;alim A+ul ;aud for four years. 2n 05aF, their father recalled them to +e taken care of +y their older sister, 2nam. Arafat had a deteriorating relationship =ith his father, =hen he died in 05G3, Arafat did not attend the funeral. 1either did he visit his father-s grave upon his return to ga`a.C6D CeditD Bducation and 058@ Ara+72sraeli War Arafat (second from right =ith other civil engineering students in Aairo cniversity, ;eptem+er 05G0 2n 0588, Arafat enrolled in the cniversity of *ing Fuad 2 and graduated in 05G4.C6D Ie later claimed to have sought a +etter understanding of Judaism and Hionism +y engaging in discussions =ith Je=s and reading pu+lications +y eheodor Ier`l and other prominent Hionists.CFD At the same time, he +ecame an Ara+ nationalist and +egan procuring =eapons to +e smuggled into the former >ritish 9andate of /alestine, for use +y irregulars in the Ara+ Iigher Aommittee and the Army of the Ioly War militias. C@D Euring the 058@ Ara+72sraeli War, Arafat left the cniversity and, along =ith other Ara+s, sought to enter /alestine to doin Ara+ forces fighting against 2sraeli troops. Io=ever, instead of doining the ranks

of the /alestinian fedayeen, Arafat fought alongside the 9uslim >rotherhood, although he did not doin the organi`ation. Ie took part in com+at in the ga`a area (=hich =as the main +attleground of Bgyptian forces during the conflict . 2n early 0585, the =ar =as =inding do=n in 2srael-s favor, and Arafat returned to Aairo from a lack of logistical support.C6D After returning to the cniversity, Arafat studied civil engineering and served as president of the general cnion of /alestinian ;tudents (gc/; from 05G3 to 05G6. Euring his first year as president of the union, the cniversity =as renamed Aairo cniversity after a coup =as carried out +y the Free _fficers 9ovement overthro=ing *ing Farouk 2. >y that time, Arafat had graduated =ith a +achelor-s degree in civil engineering and =as called to duty to fight =ith Bgyptian forces during the ;ue` Arisis, ho=ever, he never actually fought on the +attlefield.C6D ^ater that year, at a conference in /rague, he donned a solid =hite keffiyeh 7 different from the checkered one he adopted later in *u=ait, =hich =as to +ecome his em+lem.C5D CeditD 1ame Arafat-s original full name =as 9ohammed A+del <ahman A+del <aouf Arafat al?:ud=a al?Iusseini. 9ohammed A+del <ahman =as his first name, A+del <aouf =as his father-s name and Arafat his grandfather-s. Al?:ud=a =as the name of his tri+e and al?Iusseini =as that of the clan to =hich the al? :ud=as +elonged. 2t should +e noted that Arafat-s clan, al?Iusseini =as +ased in ga`a and should not +e confused =ith the =ell?kno=n, +ut unrelated, al?Iusayni clan of Jerusalem. ;ince Arafat =as raised in Aairo, the tradition of dropping the 9ohammed or Ahmad portion of one-s first name =as common, nota+le Bgyptians such as An=ar ;adat and Iosni 9u+arak did so. Io=ever, Arafat dropped also the A+del <ahman and A+del <aouf parts of his name as =ell. Euring the early 05G4s, Arafat adopted the name Yasser, and in the early years of Arafat-s guerrilla career, he assumed the nom de guerre of A+u Ammar. >oth names are related to Ammar i+n Yasir, one of 9uhammad-s early companions. Although he dropped most of his inherited names, he retained Arafat due to its significance in 2slam.C6D CeditD <ise of Fatah CeditD Founding of Fatah Follo=ing the ;ue` Arisis in 05G6, Bgyptian president gamal A+del 1asser, a leader of the Free _fficers 9ovement, agreed to allo= the cnited 1ations Bmergency Force to esta+lish itself in the ;inai /eninsula and ga`a ;trip, causing the ebpulsion of all guerrilla or "fedayeen" forces there 7 including Arafat. Arafat originally struggled to o+tain a visa to Aanada and later ;audi Ara+ia, +ut =as unsuccessful in +oth attempts.C6DC04D 2n 05GF, he applied for a visa to *u=ait (at the time a >ritish protectorate and =as approved, +ased on his =ork in civil engineering. ehere he encountered t=o /alestinian friends: ;alah *halaf (A+u 2yad and *halil al?Wa`ir (A+u Jihad , +oth official mem+ers of the Bgyptian 9uslim >rotherhood. Arafat had met A+u 2yad =hile attending Aairo cniversity and A+u Jihad in ga`a. >oth +ecame Arafat-s right?hand men in future politics. A+u 2yad traveled =ith Arafat to *u=ait in late in 0564, A+u Jihad, =orking as also a teacher, had +een living there since 05G5.C00D After settling in *u=ait, A+u 2yad helped Arafat o+tain a temporary do+ as a schoolteacher.C03D ehe /alestinian flag, adopted +y the /alestine ^i+eration _rgani`ation upon its founding in 0568 As Arafat +egan to develop friendships =ith other /alestinian refugees (some of =hom he kne= also from his Aairo days , he and the others gradually founded the group that +ecame kno=n as Fatah. ehe ebact date for the esta+lishment of Fatah is unkno=n. Io=ever, in 05G5, the group-s ebistence =as attested in the pages of a /alestinian nationalist maga`ine, Filastununa 1ida al?Iayat (_ur /alestine, ehe Aall of ^ife , =hich =as =ritten and edited +y A+u Jihad.C8D FaeaI is a reverse acronym of the Ara+ic name Iarakat al?eahrir al?Watani al?Filastini =hich translates into "ehe /alestinian 1ational ^i+eration 9ovement".C03DC0aD Fatah is also a =ord that =as used in early 2slamic times to refer to -conhuest-.C03D Fatah dedicated itself to the li+eration of /alestine +y an armed struggle carried out +y the /alestinians themselves. ehis differed from other /alestinian political and guerrilla organi`ations, most of =hich firmly +elieved in a united Ara+ response.C03DC08D Arafat-s organi`ation never em+raced the ideologies

of mador Ara+ national governments of the time, in contrast to other /alestinian factions, =hich often +ecame satellites of nations such as Bgypt, 2rah, ;audi Ara+ia, ;yria and others.C0GD 2n accordance =ith his ideology, Arafat generally refused to accept donations to his organi`ation from mador Ara+ governments, in order to act independently of them. Io=ever, he did not =ant to alienate them, and sought their undivided support +y avoiding alliances =ith groups loyal to other ideologies. Ie =orked hard in *u=ait, ho=ever, to esta+lish the ground=ork for Fatah-s future financial support +y enlisting contri+utions from the many =ealthy /alestinians =orking there and other gulf ;tates, such as :atar (=here he met 9ahmoud A++as in 0560 .C06D ehese +usinessmen and oil =orkers contri+uted generously to the Fatah organi`ation. Arafat continued this process in other Ara+ countries such as ^i+ya and ;yria.C03D 2n 0563, Arafat and his closest companions immigrated to ;yria i a country sharing a +order =ith 2srael i =hich had recently seceded from its ephemeral union =ith 1asser-s Bgypt. Fatah had approbimately three hundred mem+ers +y this time, +ut none =ere fighters.C03D 2n ;yria, ho=ever, he managed to recruit mem+ers =ith a higher income to ena+le his armed struggle against 2srael. Fatah-s manpo=er =as incremented further after Arafat decided to offer much higher salaries to mem+ers of the /alestine ^i+eration Army (/^A , the regular military force of the /alestine ^i+eration _rgani`ation (/^_ , =hich =as created +y the Ara+ ^eague in the summer of 0568. _n Eecem+er a0 of that same year, a shuad from al?Assifa, the armed +ranch of Fatah at the time, attempted to infiltrate 2srael, +ut they =ere intercepted and detained +y ^e+anese security forces. ;everal other raids =ith Fatah-s poorly?trained and +adly?ehuipped fighters follo=ed this incident. ;ome =ere successful, others failed in their missions. Arafat often led these incursions personally.C03D Arafat and his top aide A+u Jihad, =ere detained in ;yria =hen a pro?;yrian /alestinian leader, Yusuf _ra+i =as murdered. Iours +efore he =as killed, Arafat =as discussing =ith him =ays to unite their factions and to rehuest _ra+i-s support for Arafat against his rivals =ithin the Fatah leadership. ;hortly after Arafat left the meeting, _ra+i =as thro=n out of the =indo= of a three?story +uilding and ;yrian police loyal to Iafe` al?Assad (Assad and _ra+i =ere "close friends" , suspected Arafat =as involved in the incident. Assad appointed a panel, =hich found Arafat and A+u Jihad guilty of the murder. 1onetheless, +oth =ere pardoned +y ;yrian /resident ;alah Jadid. ehe incident, ho=ever, +rought Assad and Arafat on unpleasant terms, =hich =ould sho= later =hen Assad +ecame /resident of ;yria. C03D CeditD ^eader of the /alestinians _n 1ovem+er 0a, 0566, 2srael launched a mador raid against the Jordanian?administered West >ank to=n of as?;amu, in response to a Fatah?implemented roadside +om+ attack, =hich had killed three mem+ers of the 2sraeli security forces near the southern green ^ine +order. 2n the resulting skirmish, scores of Jordanian security forces =ere killed and 03G homes ra`ed. ehis raid =as one of several factors that led to the 056F ;ib Eay War.C0FD ehe ;ib Eay =ar +egan =hen 2srael launched a preemptive air strike against Bgypt-s air force on June G, 056F. ehe =ar ended in Ara+ defeat and 2srael-s occupation of several Ara+ territories, including the West >ank and ga`a ;trip. Although 1asser and his Ara+ allies had +een defeated, Arafat and Fatah could claim a victory, in that the madority of /alestinians, =ho had up to that time tended to align and sympathi`e =ith individual Ara+ governments, no= +egan to agree that a -/alestinian- solution of their dilemma =as indispensa+le.C0@D 9any primarily /alestinian political parties, including george Ia+ash-s Ara+ 1ationalist 9ovement, Iadd Amin al?Iusseini-s Ara+ Iigher Aommittee, the 2slamic ^i+eration Front and several ;yrian?+acked groups, virtually crum+led after their sponsor governmentsdefeat. >arely a =eek after the defeat, Arafat crossed the Jordan <iver in disguise and entered the West >ank, =here he set up recruitment centers in Ie+ron, the Jerusalem area and 1a+lus, and +egan attracting +oth fighters and financiers for his cause.C0@D At the same time, 1asser contacted Arafat through 9ohammed Ieikal (one of 1asser-s advisers and Arafat =as declared +y 1asser to +e the -leader of the /alestinians-.C05D 2n Eecem+er, Ahmad ;hukeiri resigned his post as /^_ Ahairman. Yahya Iammuda took his place and invited Arafat to doin the organi`ation. Fatah =as allocated aa of 04G seats of the /^_ Bbecutive Aommittee =hile GF seats =ere left for several other guerrilla factions.C0@D

CeditD >attle of *arameh 9ain article: >attle of *arameh 2sraeli soldiers raiding a house in *arameh, 056@ ehroughout 056@, Fatah and other /alestinian armed groups =ere the target of a mador 2sraeli army operation in the Jordanian village of *arameh, =here the Fatah headhuarters i as =ell as a mid?si`ed /alestinian refugee camp i =ere located. ehe to=n-s name is the Ara+ic =ord for -dignity-, =hich elevated its sym+olic po=er in the eyes of the Ara+ people, especially after the Ara+ defeat in 056F. ehe operation came hard upon attacks, including rockets strikes from Fatah and other /alestinian militias, =ithin the occupied West >ank. According to ;aid A+urish, the government of Jordan and a num+er of Fatah commandos informed Arafat that large?scale 2sraeli military preparations for an attack on the to=n =ere under=ay, prompting fedayeen groups, such as george Ia+ash-s ne=ly formed group the /opular Front for the ^i+eration of /alestine (/F^/ and 1ayef Ia=atmeh-s +reaka=ay organi`ation the Eemocratic Front for the ^i+eration of /alestine (EF^/ , to =ithdra= their forces from the to=n. ehough advised +y a pro?Fatah Jordanian divisional commander to =ithdra= his men and headhuarters to near+y hills, Arafat refused,C0@D stating, "We =ant to convince the =orld that there are those in the Ara+ =orld =ho =ill not =ithdra= or flee".C34D A+urish =rites that it =as on Arafat-s orders that Fatah remained, and that the Jordanian Army agreed to +ack them if heavy fighting ensued. C0@D Arafat =ith Fatah officials in first pu+lic meeting =ith Bgyptian /resident gamal A+del 1asser for the first time in Aairo, approbimately eight months after Arafat +ecomes Ahairman of the /alestine ^i+eration _rgani`ation, 0565 _n the night of 9arch 30, the 2EF attacked *arameh =ith heavy =eaponry, armored vehicles and fighter dets.C0@D Fatah held its ground, surprising the 2sraeli military. As 2srael-s forces intensified their campaign, the Jordanian Army +ecame involved, causing the 2sraelis to retreat in order to avoid a full? scale =ar.C30D >y the end of the +attle, nearly 0G4 Fatah militants had +een killed, as =ell as t=enty Jordanian soldiers and t=enty?eight 2sraeli soldiers. Eespite the higher Ara+ death toll, Fatah considered themselves victorious +ecause of the 2sraeli army-s rapid =ithdra=al.C0@D Arafat himself =as on the +attlefield, +ut the details of his involvement are unclear. Io=ever, his allies 7 as =ell as 2sraeli intelligence 7 confirm that he urged his men throughout the +attle to hold their ground and continue fighting.C33D ehe +attle =as covered in detail +y eime, and Arafat-s face appeared on the cover of the Eecem+er 0a, 056@ issue, +ringing his image to the =orld for the first time.C3aD Amid the post?=ar environment, the profiles of Arafat and Fatah =ere raised +y this important turning point, and he came to +e regarded as a national hero =ho dared to confront 2srael. With mass applause from the Ara+ World, financial donations increased significantly, and Fatah-s =eaponry and ehuipment improved. ehe group-s num+ers s=elled as many young Ara+s, including thousands of non?/alestinians, doined the ranks of Fatah.C38D At the /alestinian 1ational Aouncil in Aairo on Fe+ruary a, 0565, Yahya Iammuda stepped do=n from his chairmanship of the /^_, and Arafat took over. Ie +ecame Aommander?in?Ahief of the /alestinian <evolutionary Forces t=o years later, and in 05Fa, +ecame the head of the /^_-s political department.C0@D CeditD Jordan ;ee also: >lack ;eptem+er in Jordan Arafat =ith Eemocratic Front for the ^i+eration of /alestine leader, 1ayef Ia=atmeh and /alestinian =riter *amal 1asser at press conference in Amman, 05F4 2n the late 0564s, tensions +et=een /alestinians and the Jordanian government increased greatly, heavily armed Ara+ resistance elements had created a virtual "state =ithin a state" in Jordan, eventually controlling several strategic positions in that country. After their victory in the >attle of *arameh, Fatah and other /alestinian militias +egan taking control of civil life in Jordan. ehey set up road+locks, pu+licly humiliated Jordanian police forces, molested =omen and levied illegal tabes i all of =hich Arafat either condoned or ignored.C34D *ing Iussein considered this a gro=ing threat to his kingdom-s

sovereignty and security, and attempted to disarm the militias. Io=ever, in order to avoid a military confrontation =ith opposition forces, Iussein dismissed several of his anti?/^_ ca+inet officials, including some of his o=n family mem+ers, and invited Arafat to +ecome /rime 9inister of Jordan. Arafat refused, citing his +elief in the need for a /alestinian state =ith /alestinian leadership.C3GD Arafat at the /alestinian 1ational Aouncil (/1A meeting in Aairo, Eecem+er 05F4. Yousef an?1addar and *haled al?Iassan are standing +ehind him Eespite Iussein-s intervention, militant actions in Jordan continued. _n ;eptem+er 0G, 05F4, the /F^/ hidacked five planes and landed three of them at Ea=son-s Field, located a4 miles (8@ km east of Amman. After the passengers =ere moved to other locations, three of the planes =ere +lo=n up. ehis tarnished Arafat-s image in many =estern nations, including the cnited ;tates, =ho held him responsi+le for controlling /alestinian factions that +elonged to the /^_.C36D Arafat, +o=ing to pressure from Ara+ governments, pu+licly condemned the hidackings and suspended the /F^/ from any guerrilla actions for a fe= =eeks. (Ie had taken the same action after the /F^/ attacked Athens Airport. ehe Jordanian government moved to regain control over its territory, and the nebt day, *ing Iussein declared martial la=.C3GD _n the same day, Arafat +ecame supreme commander of the /^A. C3FD Arafat and A+u Jihad meet gamal A+del 1asser upon arrival in Aairo to attend first emergency Ara+ ^eague summit, 05F4 As the conflict raged, other Ara+ governments attempted to negotiate a peaceful resolution. As part of this effort, gamal A+del 1asser led the first ever emergency Ara+ ^eague summit in Aairo on ;eptem+er 30. Arafat-s speech dre= sympathy from attending Ara+ leaders. _ther heads of state took sides against Iussein, among them 9uammar al?gaddafi, =ho mocked him and his schi`ophrenic father *ing ealal. ehe attempt to esta+lish a peace agreement +et=een the t=o sides failed. 1asser died of a massive heart attack hours after the summit.C3GD >y ;eptem+er 3G, the Jordanian army achieved dominance, and t=o days later Arafat and Iussein agreed to a ceasefire in Amman. ehe Jordanian army inflicted heavy casualties on the /alestinians i including civilians i =ho suffered approbimately a,G44 fatalities.C3FD After repeated violations of the ceasefire from +oth the /^_ and the Jordanian Army, Arafat called for the *ing Iussein to +e toppled. <esponding to the threat, in June 05F0, Iussein ordered his forces to oust all remaining /alestinian fighters in northern Jordan i =hich they accomplished. Arafat and a num+er of his forces, including t=o high?ranking commanders, A+u 2yad and A+u Jihad, =ere forced into the northern corner of Jordan. ehey relocated near the to=n of Jerash, near the +order =ith ;yria. With the help of 9uni+ 9asri, a pro?/alestinian Jordanian ca+inet mem+er, and Fahd al?*homeimi, the ;audi am+assador to Jordan, Arafat managed to enter ;yria =ith nearly t=o thousand of his fighters. Io=ever, due to the hostility of relations +et=een Arafat and ;yrian /resident Iafe` al?Assad (=ho had previously ousted /resident ;alah Jadid , the /alestinian fighters crossed the +order into ^e+anon to doin /^_ forces in that country, =here they set up their ne= headhuarters.C3@D CeditD ^e+anon CeditD eerrorist attacks in 05F4s and official recognition >ecause of ^e+anon-s =eak central government, the /^_ =as a+le to operate virtually as an independent state. cnrelenting 2sraeli pressure on that territory C35D =as designed +oth to turn the ^e+anese population against the /^_ and compel the government to suppress the guerillas. Euring this time in the 05F4s, numerous leftist /^_ groups appeared on the armed front against 2srael, carrying out attacks against civilian and military targets +oth =ithin 2srael and outside of it. e=o mador incidents occurred in 05F3. ehe Fatah su+group >lack ;eptem+er hidacked a ;a+ena flight en route to jienna and forced it to land at the >en gurion 2nternational Airport in ^od, 2srael.Ca4D ehe /F^/ and the Japanese <ed Army carried out a shooting rampage at the same airport, killing t=enty? four civilians.Ca4DCa0D 2srael later claimed that the assassination of /F^/ spokesman ghassan *anafani =as a response to the /F^/-s involvement in masterminding the latter attack. e=o days later, various /^_ factions retaliated +y +om+ing a +us station, killing eleven civilians.Ca4D At the 9unich _lympic games, >lack ;eptem+er kidnapped and killed eleven 2sraeli athletes.Ca3D A num+er of sources, including 9ohammed _udeh (A+u Eaoud , one of the masterminds of the 9unich

massacre, and >enny 9orris, a prominent 2sraeli historian, have stated that >lack ;eptem+er =as an armed +ranch of Fatah used for paramilitary operations. According to A+u Eaoud-s 0555 +ook, "Arafat =as +riefed on plans for the 9unich hostage?taking."CaaD ehe killings =ere internationally condemned. 2n 05Fa7F8, Arafat closed >lack ;eptem+er do=n, ordering the /^_ to =ithdra= from acts of violence outside 2srael, the West >ank and ga`a ;trip.Ca8D 2n 05F8, the /1A approved the een /oint /rogram (dra=n up +y Arafat and his advisers , and proposed a compromise =ith the 2sraelis. 2t called for a /alestinian national authority over every part of "li+erated /alestinian territory",CaGD =hich refers to areas captured +y Ara+ forces in the 058@ Ara+? 2sraeli War (present?day West >ank, Bast Jerusalem and ga`a ;trip . ehis caused discontent among several of the /^_ factions, the /F^/, EF^/ and other parties formed a +reaka=ay organi`ation, the <edectionist Front.Ca6D 2srael and the c; have alleged also that Arafat =as involved in the 05Fa *hartoum diplomatic assassinations, in =hich five diplomats and five others =ere killed. A 05Fa cnited ;tates Eepartment of ;tate document, declassified in 3446, concluded "ehe *hartoum operation =as planned and carried out =ith the full kno=ledge and personal approval of Yasser Arafat."CaFD Arafat denied any involvement in the operation and insisted it =as carried out independently +y the >lack ;eptem+er group. 2srael claimed that Arafat =as in ultimate control over these organi`ations and therefore had not a+andoned terrorism.Ca@D 2n the same year, the /^_ =as declared the "sole legitimate representative of the /alestinian people" and admitted to full mem+ership of the Ara+ ^eague at a <a+at summit.Ca6D Arafat +ecame the first representative of a non?governmental organi`ation to address a plenary session of the c1 general Assem+ly. 2n his cnited 1ations address, Arafat condemned Hionism, +ut said, "eoday 2 have come +earing an olive +ranch and a freedom fighter-s gun. Eo not let the olive +ranch fall from my hand."Ca5D Iis speech increased international sympathy for the /alestinian cause.Ca6D CeditD Fatah involvement in ^e+anese Aivil War ;ee also: ^e+anese Aivil War Arafat in /alestinian refugee camp in ;outhern ^e+anon, 05F@ Although hesitant at first to take sides in the conflict, Arafat and Fatah played an important role in the ^e+anese Aivil War. ;uccum+ing to pressure from /^_ su+?groups such as the /F^/, EF^/ and the /alestine ^i+eration Front (/^F , Arafat aligned the /^_ =ith the Aommunist and 1asserist ^e+anese 1ational 9ovement (^19 . ehe ^19 =as led +y *amal Jum+latt, =ho had a friendly relationship =ith Arafat and other /^_ leaders. Although originally aligned =ith Fatah, ;yrian /resident Iafe` al? Assad feared a loss of influence in ^e+anon and s=itched sides. Ie sent his army, along =ith the ;yrian?+acked /alestinian factions of as?;a-iha and the /opular Front for the ^i+eration of /alestine ? general Aommand (/F^/?gA led +y Ahmad Ji+ril to fight alongside the radical right?=ing Ahristian forces against the /^_ and the ^19. ehe primary components of the Ahristian front =ere the 9aronite /halangists loyal to >achir gemayel and the eigers 9ilitia i =hich =as led +y Eany Ahamoun, a son of former /resident Aamille Ahamoun.C84D 2n Fe+ruary 05FG, the eigers shot an important pro?/alestinian ^e+anese 9/, 9a-arouf ;a-ad, founder of the /opular 1asserite _rgani`ation.C80D Iis death, from his =ounds, the follo=ing month, and the murder in April of that year of t=enty?seven /alestinians and ^e+anese travelling on +us from ;a+ra and ;hatila to the eel al?Haatar refugee camp +y /halangist forces, precipitated the ^e+anese Aivil War.C83D Arafat =as reluctant to respond =ith force, +ut many other Fatah and /^_ mem+ers felt other=ise.C34D For ebample, the EF^/ carried out several attacks against the ^e+anese Army. 2n 05F6, an alliance of Ahristian militias =ith the +acking of the ^e+anese and ;yrian Army +esieged eel al? Haatar camp in east >eirut.C8aDC88D ehe /^_ and ^19 retaliated +y attacking the to=n of Eamour, a /halangist stronghold. _ver aa4 people =ere killed and many more =ounded.C8aD ehe eel al?Haatar camp fell to the Ahristians after a sib?month siege, and a massacre follo=ed in =hich thousands of /alestinians =ere killed.C8GD Arafat and A+u Jihad +lamed themselves for not successfully organi`ing a rescue effort.C84D

/^_ cross?+order raids against 2srael gre= some=hat during the late 05F4s. _ne of the most severe i kno=n as the Aoastal <oad massacre i occurred on 9arch 00, 05F@. A force of nearly a do`en Fatah fighters landed their +oats near a mador coastal road connecting the city of Iaifa =ith eel Aviv?Yafo. ehere they hidacked a +us and sprayed gunfire inside and at passing vehicles, killing thirty?seven civilians.C86DC8FD 2n response, the 2EF launched _peration ^itani three days later, =ith the goal of taking control of ;outhern ^e+anon up to the ^itani <iver. ehe 2EF achieved this goal, and Arafat =ithdre= /^_ forces north into >eirut.C8@D After 2srael =ithdre= from ^e+anon, cross?+order hostilities +et=een /^_ forces and 2srael continued, though from August 05@0 to 9ay 05@3, the /^_ adopted a unilateral policy of refraining from responding to provocationsC85D. ehe 2sraeli invasion of 05@3 =as designed, according to some sources, to crush /alestinian national aspirations +y uprooting their forces from probimity to the West >ankCG4D. >eirut =as soon +esieged and +om+arded +y the 2EF,C84D Arafat declared the city to +e the "Ianoi and ;talingrad of the 2sraeli army."C84D ehe Aivil War-s first phase ended and Arafat i =ho =as commanding Fatah forces at eel al?Haatar i narro=ly escaped =ith assistance from ;audi and *u=aiti diplomats.CG0D eo=ards the end the siege, the c; and Buropean governments +rokered an agreement guaranteeing safe passage for Arafat and the /^_ i guarded +y a multinational force of eight hundred c; 9arines supported +y the c; 1avy i to ebile in eunis.C84D Arafat returned to ^e+anon a year after his eviction from >eirut, this time esta+lishing himself in the northern city of eripoli. ehis time Arafat =as ebpelled +y a fello= /alestinian =orking under Iafe` al? Assad. Arafat did not return to ^e+anon after his second ebpulsion, though many Fatah fighters did. C84D CeditD eunisia Arafat and Fatah-s center for operations =as +ased in eunis, the capital of eunisia, until 055a. 2n 05@G he narro=ly survived an 2sraeli assassination attempt =hen 2sraeli Air Force F?0Gs +om+ed his headhuarters there as part of _peration Wooden ^eg, leaving Fa people dead. Arafat had gone out dogging that morning.CG3D CeditD First 2ntifada Euring the 05@4s, Arafat received financial assistance from ^i+ya, 2rah and ;audi Ara+ia, =hich allo=ed him to reconstruct the +adly?+attered /^_. ehis =as particularly useful during the First 2ntifada in Eecem+er 05@F, =hich +egan as an uprising of /alestinian youth against the 2sraeli occupation of the West >ank and ga`a ;trip. ehe =ord 2ntifada in Ara+ic is literally translated as "tremor", ho=ever, it is generally defined as an uprising or revolt.CGaD ehe first stage of the 2ntifada =as a response to an incident at the Bre` checkpoint =here an 2sraeli military vehicle hit a group of /alestinian la+orers, killing four of them. Io=ever, =ithin =eeks and partly upon consistent rehuests +y A+u Jihad, Arafat attempted to direct the uprising, =hich lasted until 055375a. A+u Jihad had previously +een assigned the responsi+ility of the /alestinian territories =ithin the /^_ command and according to +iographer ;aid A+urish, had "impressive kno=ledge of local conditions" in the 2sraeli?occupied territories. _n April 06, 05@@, as the 2ntifada =as raging, A+u Jihad =as assassinated in his eunis household, allegedly +y an 2sraeli hit shuad. Arafat considered A+u Jihad a /^_ counter=eight to local /alestinian leadership, and led a funeral procession for him in Eamascus. CGaD ehe most common tactic used +y /alestinians during the 2ntifada =as thro=ing stones at 2EF tanks, =hich +ecame a sym+ol of the uprising. ehe local leadership in some West >ank to=ns commenced non?violent protests against 2sraeli occupation +y engaging in tab resistance and other +oycotts. 2srael responded +y confiscating large sums of money in house?to?house raids.CGaDCG8D As the 2ntifada came to a close, ne= armed /alestinian groups i in particular Iamas and the /alestinian 2slamic Jihad (/2J i +egan targeting 2sraeli civilians =ith the ne= tactic of suicide +om+ing and internal fighting amongst the /alestinians increased dramatically.CGaD CeditD Ahange in direction

_n 1ovem+er 0G, 05@@, the /^_ proclaimed the independent ;tate of /alestine. 2n speeches on Eecem+er 0a and Eecem+er 08, Arafat accepted c1 ;ecurity Aouncil <esolution 383, 2srael-s right "to ebist in peace and security" and repudiated -terrorism in all its forms, including state terrorism-.CGGDCG6D Arafat-s statements =ere greeted =ith approval +y the c; administration, =hich had long insisted on these statements as a necessary starting point for official discussions +et=een the c; and the /^_. ehese remarks from Arafat indicated a shift a=ay from one of the /^_-s primary aims i the destruction of 2srael (as in the /alestinian 1ational Aovenant 7 and to=ard the esta+lishment of t=o separate entities: an 2sraeli state =ithin the 0585 armistice lines, and an Ara+ state in the West >ank and the ga`a ;trip. _n April 3, 05@5, Arafat =as elected +y the Aentral Aouncil of the /alestine 1ational Aouncil, the governing +ody of the /^_, to +e the president of the proclaimed ;tate of /alestine.CGaD /rior to the gulf War in 0554?50, =hen the 2ntifada-s intensity +egan to =ear do=n, Arafat supported ;addam Iussein-s invasion of *u=ait and opposed the c;?led coalition attack on 2rah. Ie made this decision =ithout the consent of other leading mem+ers of Fatah and the /^_. Arafat-s top aide A+u 2yad vouched to stay neutral and opposed an alliance =ith ;addam. A+u 2yad =as assassinated on January 0F, 0550 +y the pro?2rahi A+u 1idal _rgani`ation. Arafat-s decision also severed relations =ith Bgypt and many of the oil?producing Ara+ states that supported the c;?led coalition. 9any in the c; also used Arafat-s position as a reason to disregard his claims to +eing a partner for peace. After the end of hostilities, many Ara+ states that +acked the coalition cut off funds to the /^_ and +egan providing financial support for the organi`ation-s rival Iamas as =ell as other 2slamist groups.CGaD 2n 0554, Arafat married ;uha ea=il, a /alestinian Ahristian =hen he =as 60 and ;uha, 3F. >efore their marriage, she =as =orking as a secretary for Arafat in eunis after her mother introduced her to him in France.CGFDCG@D /rior to Arafat-s marriage, he adopted fifty /alestinian =ar orphans.CG5D Arafat narro=ly escaped death again on April F, 0553, =hen his aircraft crash?landed in the ^i+yan Eesert during a sandstorm. e=o pilots and an engineer =ere killed, Arafat =as +ruised and shaken.C64D CeditD /alestinian Authority and peace negotiations CeditD _slo Accords Yit`hak <a+in, >ill Alinton, and Arafat during the _slo Accords on ;eptem+er 0a, 055a 2n the early 0554s, Arafat and leading Fatah officials engaged the 2sraeli government in a series of secret talks and negotiations that led to the 055a _slo Accords.C60DCa@D ehe agreement called for the implementation of /alestinian self?rule in portions of the West >ank and ga`a ;trip over a five year period, along =ith an immediate halt to and gradual removal of 2sraeli settlements in those areas. ehe accords called for a /alestinian police force to +e formed from local recruits and /alestinians a+road, to patrol areas of self?rule. Authority over the various fields of rule, including education and culture, social =elfare, direct tabation and tourism, =ould +e transferred to the /alestinian interim government. >oth parties agreed also on forming a committee that =ould esta+lish cooperation and coordination dealing =ith specific economic sectors, including utilities, industry, trade and communication.C63DC6aD /rior to signing the accords, Arafat i as Ahairman of the /^_ and its official representative i signed t=o letters renouncing violence and officially recogni`ing 2srael. 2n return, /rime 9inister Yit`hak <a+in, on +ehalf of 2srael, officially recogni`ed the /^_.C68D ehe follo=ing year, Arafat and <a+in =ere a=arded the 1o+el /eace /ri`e, along =ith ;himon /eres. C6GD ehe /alestinian reaction =as mibed. ehe <edectionist Front of the /^_ allied itself =ith 2slamists in a common opposition against the agreements. 2t =as redected +y also /alestinian refugees in ^e+anon, ;yria, and Jordan as =ell as +y many /alestinian intellectuals and the local leadership of the /alestinian territories. Io=ever, the inha+itants of the territories generally accepted the agreements and Arafat-s promise for peace and economic =ell?+eing.C66D CeditD Bsta+lishing authority in the territories 2n accordance =ith the terms of the _slo agreement, Arafat =as rehuired to implement /^_ authority in the West >ank and ga`a ;trip. Ie insisted that financial support =as imperative to esta+lishing this authority and needed it to secure the acceptance of the agreements +y the /alestinians living in those

areas. Io=ever, the gulf Ara+ ;tates i Arafat-s usual source for financial +acking i still refused to provide him and the /^_ =ith any mador donations +ecause of his sympathy for 2rah during the gulf War, in 0550.C66D Ahmed :urei i a key Fatah negotiator during the negotiations in _slo i openly announced that the /^_ =as +ankrupt.C6FD 2n 0558, Arafat moved to ga`a Aity, one of the territories controlled +y the /alestinian 1ational Authority (/1A i the provisional entity created +y the _slo Accords.C6GD Arafat +ecame the /resident and /rime 9inister of the /1A, the Aommander of the /^A and the ;peaker of the /^A. 2n July, after the /1A =as declared the official government of the /alestinians, the >asic ^a=s of the /alestinian 1ational Authority =as pu+lished,C6@D in three different versions +y the /^_. Arafat proceeded =ith creating a structure for the /1A. Ie esta+lished an ebecutive committee or ca+inet composed of t=enty mem+ers. Arafat also took the li+erty to replace and assign mayors and city councils for mador cities such as ga`a and 1a+lus. Ie +egan su+ordinating non?governmental organi`ations that dealt in education, health, and social affairs under his authority +y replacing their elected leaders and directors =ith /1A officials loyal to him. Ie then appointed himself chairman of the /alestinian financial organi`ation that =as created +y the World >ank to control most aid money to=ards helping the ne= /alestinian entity.C66D Arafat esta+lished a /alestinian police force, named the /reventive ;ecurity ;ervice (/;; , that +ecame active on 9ay 0a. 2t =as mainly composed of /^A soldiers and foreign /alestinian volunteers. Arafat assigned 9ohammed Eahlan and Ji+ril <adou+ to head the organi`ation.C66D Amnesty 2nternational accused Arafat and the /1A leadership for failing to adehuately investigate a+uses +y the /;; (including torture and unla=ful killings of political opponents and dissidents as =ell as the arrests of human rights activists.C65D _n July 38, 055G, Arafat-s =ife ;uha gave +irth to a daughter in ;or+onne, France. ;he =as named Hah=a after Arafat-s deceased mother.CG@D ehroughout 1ovem+er?Eecem+er 055G, Arafat toured do`ens of /alestinian cities and to=ns that =ere evacuated +y 2sraeli forces including Jenin, <amallah, al?>ireh, 1a+lus, :alhilyah and eulkarm, declaring them "li+erated". ehe /1A also gained control of the West >ank-s postal service during this period.CF4D _n January 34, 0556, Arafat =as elected president of the /1A, =ith an over=helming @@.3k madority (the only other candidate =as charity organi`er ;amiha *halil . Io=ever, +ecause Iamas, the EF^/ and other popular opposition movements chose to +oycott the presidential elections, the choices =ere limited. Arafat-s landslide victory guaranteed Fatah G0 of the @@ seats in the /^A. After Arafat =as elected to the post of /resident of the /1A, he =as often referred to as the <a-is, (literally president in Ara+ic , although he spoke of himself as "the general".CF0D 2n 055F, the /^A accused the ebecutive +ranch of the /1A of financial mismanagement causing the resignation of four mem+ers of Arafat-s ca+inet. Arafat refused to resign his post.CF3D CeditD _ther peace agreements Arafat =ith /1A ca+inet mem+ers at a meeting in Aopenhagen, 0555 2n mid?0556, >endamin 1etanyahu =as elected /rime 9inister of 2srael +y a margin of dust one percent. /alestinian?2sraeli relations gre= even more hostile as a result of continued conflict.CFaD Eespite the 2srael?/^_ accord, 1etanyahu opposed the idea of /alestinian statehood.CF8D 2n 055@, c; /resident >ill Alinton persuaded the t=o leaders to meet. ehe resulting Wye <iver 9emorandum detailed the steps to +e taken +y the 2sraeli government and /1A to complete the peace process.CFGD Arafat continued negotiations =ith 1etanyahu-s successor, Bhud >arak, at the Aamp Eavid ;ummit in July 3444. Eue partly to his o=n politics (>arak =as from the leftist ^a+or /arty, =hereas 1etanyahu =as from the rightist ^ikud /arty and partly due to insistence for compromise +y /resident Alinton, >arak offered Arafat a /alestinian state in Fak of the West >ank and all of the ga`a ;trip. ehe /alestinian percentage of sovereignty =ould ebtend to 54k over a ten to t=enty?five year period. Also included in the offer =ere the return of a small num+er of refugees and compensation for those not allo=ed to return. Arafat redected >arak-s offer and refused to make an immediate counter?offer.C60D Ie stated to /resident Alinton that, "the Ara+ leader =ho =ould surrender Jerusalem is not +orn yet". CF6D ehe move =as critici`ed even +y a mem+er of his o=n negotiating team and ca+inet, 1a+il Amr. C60D Arafat =ith Bhud >arak and >ill Alinton at Aamp Eavid ;ummit, 3444

1egotiations continued at the ea+a summit in January 3440, this time, Bhud >arak pulled out of the talks to campaign in the 2sraeli elections. 2n _cto+er and Eecem+er 3440, suicide +om+ings +y /alestinian militant groups increased and 2sraeli counter strikes intensified, causing the out+reak of the ;econd 2ntifada. Follo=ing the election of Ariel ;haron in Fe+ruary, the peace process took a steep do=nfall. /alestinian elections scheduled for January 3443 =ere postponed i the stated reason =as an ina+ility to campaign due to the emergency conditions imposed +y the 2ntifada, as =ell as 2EF incursions and restrictions on freedom of movement in the /alestinian territories. 2n the same month, ;haron ordered Arafat to +e confined to his 9ukata-a headhuarters in <amallah, follo=ing a suicide +om+ing in the 2sraeli city of Iadera,CF6D c; /resident george W. >ush supported ;haron-s action, claiming that Arafat =as "an o+stacle to the peace".CFFD CeditD /olitical survival CeditD <elations =ith Iamas and other militant groups Arafat-s long personal and political survival =as taken +y most Western commentators as a sign of his mastery of asymmetric =arfare and his skill as a tactician, given the ebtremely dangerous nature of politics of the 9iddle Bast and the frehuency of assassinations.CF@D ;ome commentators +elieve his survival =as largely due to 2srael-s fear that he could +ecome a martyr for the /alestinian cause if he =ere assassinated or even arrested +y 2srael.CF5D _thers +elieve that 2srael refrained from taking action against Arafat +ecause it feared Arafat less than Iamas and the other 2slamist movements gaining support over Fatah. ehe compleb and fragile =e+ of relations +et=een the c;, 2srael, ;audi Ara+ia, and other Ara+ states contri+uted also to Arafat-s longevity as the leader of the /alestinians.CF@D Arafat-s a+ility to adapt to ne= tactical and political situations =as perhaps tested +y the rise of the Iamas and /2J organi`ations, 2slamist groups espousing redectionist opposition to 2srael and employing ne= tactics such as suicide +om+ing, often intentionally targeting non?military targets, such as malls and movie theaters, to increase the psychological damage and civilian casualties. 2n the 0554s, these groups seemed to threaten Arafat-s capacity to hold together a unified secular nationalist organi`ation =ith a goal of statehood.CF@D ehey appeared to +e out of Arafat-s influence and control, and =ere actively fighting =ith Fatah. ;ome allege that activities of these groups =ere tolerated +y Arafat as a means of applying pressure on 2srael.CGaD 2n 3443, the Ara+ ^eague made an offer to recogni`e 2srael in ebchange for an 2sraeli retreat from all territories captured in the ;ib?Eay War and statehood for the /alestinians governed +y Arafat-s /1A. C@4D ;hortly after=ard, an attack carried out +y Iamas militants killed t=enty?nine 2sraeli civilians cele+rating /assover including many senior citi`ens.C@0D 2n response, 2srael launched _peration Eefensive ;hield, a mador military offensive into mador West >ank cities. ;ome 2sraeli government officials opined in 3443 that the armed Fatah su+?group al?Ahsa 9artyrs>rigades commenced attacks to=ards 2srael in order to compete =ith Iamas.C@3D _n 9ay 6, the 2sraeli government released a report, +ased in part on documents captured during the 2sraeli occupation of Arafat-s <amallah headhuarters, =hich included copies of papers signed +y Arafat authori`ing funding for al?Ahsa 9artyrs >rigades- activities.C@aD CeditD Attempts to marginali`e /ersistent attempts +y the 2sraeli government to identify another /alestinian leader to represent the /alestinian people failed. Arafat =as endoying the support of groups that, given his o=n history, =ould normally have +een huite =ary of dealing =ith or supporting him. 9ar=an >arghouti (a leader of al? Ahsa 9artyrs >rigades emerged as a possi+le replacement during the ;econd 2ntifada, +ut 2srael had him arrested for +eing involved in the killing of t=enty?sib civilians and =as sentenced to five life terms.C@8D Arafat =as finally allo=ed to leave his compound on 9ay a, after intense negotiations led to a settlement: sib /F^/ militants i including its secretary?general Ahmad ;a-adat i =anted +y 2srael, =ho had +een holed up =ith Arafat in his compound, =ould not +e turned over to 2srael, +ut neither =ould they +e held in custody +y the /1A. <ather, a com+ination of >ritish and American security personnel =ould ensure that the =anted men remained imprisoned in Jericho.C@GD (ehe men =ere later captured +y 2srael in an overnight raid on the prison in 3446.C@6D With that, and a promise that he

=ould issue a call in Ara+ic to the /alestinians to halt attacks on 2sraelis, Arafat =as released.C@GD Ie issued such a call on 9ay @, +ut as =ith previous attempts, it =as largely ignored.C@FD 2n 344a, Arafat ceded his post as /rime 9inister to 9ahmoud A++as amid pressures +y the c;.C@@D 2n 3448, /resident >ush dismissed Arafat as a negotiating partner.C@5D Arafat had a mibed relationship at +est =ith the leaders of other Ara+ nations. Iis support from Ara+ leaders tended to increase =henever he =as pressured +y 2srael, for ebample, =hen 2srael declared in 344a it had made the decision, in principle, to remove him from the 2sraeli?controlled West >ank.CF6D 2n an intervie= =ith the Ara+ ne=s net=ork Al?Ja`eera, Arafat responded to Ariel ;haron-s suggestion that he +e ebiled from the /alestinian territories permanently, +y stating, "2s it his C;haron-sD homeland or oursl We =ere planted here +efore the /rophet A+raham came, +ut it looks like they C2sraelisD don-t understand history or geography."CF6D CeditD Financial dealings Arafat speaking at the World Bconomic Forum in 3440 2n August 3443, the 2sraeli 9ilitary 2ntelligence Ahief alleged that Arafat-s personal =ealth =as in the range of c;E m0.a +illion,C54D. 2n 344a the 2nternational 9onetary Fund (29F conducted an audit of the /1A and stated that Arafat diverted m544 million in pu+lic funds to a special +ank account controlled +y Arafat and the /1A Ahief Bconomic Financial adviser. Io=ever, the 29F did not claim that there =ere any improprieties, and it specifically stated that most of the funds had +een used to invest in /alestinian assets, +oth internally and a+road.C50DC53D Also in 344a, a team of American accountants 7 hired +y Arafat-s o=n finance ministry 7 +egan ebamining Arafat-s finances. ehe team claimed that part of the /alestinian leader-s =ealth =as in a secret portfolio =orth close to m0 +illion, =ith investments in companies like a Aoca?Aola +ottling plant in <amallah, a eunisian cell phone company and venture capital funds in the c; and the Aayman 2slands. ehe head of the investigation stated that "although the money for the portfolio came from pu+lic funds like /alestinian tabes, virtually none of it =as used for the /alestinian people, it =as all controlled +y Arafat. And none of these dealings =ere made pu+lic."C5aD Although Arafat lived a modest lifestyle, Eennis <oss, former 9iddle Bast negotiator for /residents george I.W. >ush and >ill Alinton, stated that Arafat-s "=alking?around money" financed a vast patronage system kno=n as neopatrimonialism. According to ;alam Fayyad, ? a former World >ank official =hom Arafat appointed Finance 9inister of the /1A in 3443 i Arafat-s commodity monopolies could accurately +e seen as gouging his o=n people, "especially in ga`a =hich is poorer, =hich is something that is totally unaccepta+le and immoral." Fayyad claims that Arafat used m34 million from pu+lic funds to pay the leadership of the /1A security forces (the /reventive ;ecurity ;ervice alone.C5aD An investigation +y the Buropean cnion into claims that their funds =ere misused +y the /alestinian Authority found no evidence that funds =ere diverted to finance terrorist activities.C58D Fuad ;hu+aki, former financial aide to Arafat, told the 2sraeli security service ;hin >et that Arafat used several million dollars of aid money to +uy =eapons and support militant groups.C5GD CeditD 2llness and death First reports of Arafat-s treatment +y his doctors for =hat his spokesman said =as the "flu" came on _cto+er 3G, 3448, after he vomited during a meeting. Iis condition deteriorated in the follo=ing days. C56D Follo=ing visits +y other doctors, including teams from eunisia, Jordan, and Bgypt i and agreement +y 2srael not to +lock his return i Arafat =as taken on a French government det to the /ercy military hospital in Alamart, a su+ur+ of /aris.C5FD According to one of his doctors, Arafat =as suffering from 2diopathic throm+ocytopenic purpura (2e/ , an immunologically?mediated decrease in the num+er of circulating platelets to a+normally lo= levels.C56D _n 1ovem+er a, he lapsed into a gradually deepening coma. 2n the ensuing days, Arafat-s health =as the su+dect of some speculation, =ith suspicion that he =as suffering from poisoning or A2E;.C5@D jarious sources speculated that Arafat =as comatose, in a "vegetative state" or dead, ho=ever, /alestinian authorities and Arafat-s Jordanian doctor denied reports that Arafat =as +rain dead and had +een kept on life support.C55D

A controversy erupted +et=een officials of the /1A and ;uha Arafat =hen officials from the /1A traveled to France to see Yasser Arafat. ;uha stated "ehey are trying to +ury A+u Ammar CArafatD alive".C044D French la= for+ids physicians from discussing the condition of their patients =ith any+ody =ith the ebception, in case of grave prognosis, of close relatives.C040D Accordingly, all communications concerning Arafat-s health had to +e authori`ed +y his =ife. /alestinian officials ebpressed regret that the ne=s a+out Yasser Arafat =as "filtered" +y her.C043D ehe nebt day, chief surgeon Ahristian Bstripeau of /ercy reported that Arafat-s condition had =orsened, and that he had fallen into a deeper coma.C04aD ;heikh eaissir eamimi, the head of the 2slamic court of the /alestinian territories i =ho held a vigil at Arafat-s +edside i visited Arafat and declared that it =as out of the huestion to disconnect him from life support since, according to him, such an action is prohi+ited in 2slam.CF6D Arafat =as pronounced dead at a:a4 am ceA on 1ovem+er 00 at the age of FG. ehe ebact cause of his illness is unkno=n. eamimi descri+ed it as "a very painful scene."CF6D When Arafat-s death =as announced, the /alestinian people =ent into a state of mourning, =ith :ur-anic mourning prayers emitted from moshue loudspeakers and tires +urning in the street. _ne o+ituary at ;ocialist World said: "9any /alestinians =ill vie= the death of Yasser Arafat =ith a mibture of sadness and a =ish that the /alestinian Authority he led, had done much more to end the poverty and oppression that +lights their lives".C048D ehe Aanard Bnchanno ne=spaper reported alleged leaks of information +y unnamed medical sources at /ercy hospital =ho had access to Arafat and his medical file. According to the ne=spaper, the doctors at /ercy hospital suspected, from Arafat-s arrival, grave lesions of the liver responsi+le for an alteration of the composition of the +lood, Arafat =as therefore placed in a hematology service. ^eukemia =as "soundly ruled out". According to the same source, the reason =hy this diagnosis of cirrhosis could not +e made availa+le =as that, in the mind of the general pu+lic, cirrhosis is generally associated =ith the consehuences of alcohol a+use. Bven though the diagnosis =as not of an alcoholic cirrhosis and Arafat =as not kno=n for consuming any alcohol, there =as a likelihood of rumors. ehe source ebplained that Arafat-s living conditions did little to improve the situation. ehus, according to the source, the pro+a+le causes of the disease =ere multiple, Arafat-s coma =as a consehuence of the =orsened cirrhosis. ehe French ne=spaper ^e 9onde huoted doctors as saying that he suffered from "an unusual +lood disease and a liver pro+lem".C04GD After Arafat-s death, the French 9inistry of Eefense said that Arafat-s medical file =ould +e transmitted to only his nebt of kin. 2t =as determined that Arafat-s nephe= and /1A envoy to the c1, 1asser al?:ud=a, =as a close enough relative, thus =orking around ;uha Arafat-s silence on her hus+and-s illness. 1asser al?:ud=a =as given a copy of Arafat-s GG@?page medical file +y the French 9inistry of Eefense.C046D CeditD /oison and A2E; controversy 2n ;eptem+er 344G, the 2sraeli ne=spaper Iaaret` reported that French ebperts could not determine the cause of Arafat-s death. ehe paper huoted an 2sraeli A2E; ebpert =ho claimed that Arafat +ore all the symptoms of A2E;, a hypothesis later redected +y ehe 1e= York eimes.C04FD Ashraf al?*urdi, a personal physician of Arafat for t=enty years and =ho treated also the Iashemite kings of Jordan, later declared that nothing in Arafat-s medical report mentioned the ebistence of such an infection.C04@D Another "senior 2sraeli physician" claimed in the article in Iaaret` that it =as "a classic case of food poisoning", pro+a+ly caused +y a meal eaten four hours +efore he fell ill that may have contained a tobin such as ricin, rather than a standard +acterial poisoning. Io=ever, in the same =eek as the report in Iaaret`, ehe 1e= York eimes pu+lished a separate report, also +ased on access to Arafat-s medical records, =hich claimed that it =as highly unlikely that Arafat had A2E; or food poisoning.C04FDC045D >oth pu+lications further speculated that the cause of death may have +een an infection of an unkno=n nature or origin. Io=ever, rumors of Arafat-s poisoning have remained popular around the =orld, and especially among the Ara+ populace. Al?*urdi lamented the fact that Arafat-s =ife ;uha had refused an autopsy, =hich =ould have ans=ered many huestions in the cause of death case.C04@DC004D 2n 344G, al?*urdi called for the creation of an independent commission to carry out investigations concerning Arafat-s suspicious death, stating, "any doctor =ould tell you that these

are the symptoms of a poisoning".C04@DC000D Ie had previously told the Associated /ress that Arafat had the A2E; virus and that "it =as given to him to cover up the poison".C04@D /aris deputy Alaude goasguen asked for a parliamentary inhuiry commission on the death of Arafat in an attempt to huell rumors. ehe French government insisted that there =as no evidence Arafat had +een poisoned, other=ise, a criminal investigation =ould have necessarily +een opened.C003D CeditD Aftermath CeditD >urial Arafat-s tom+ at the /1A /residential headhuarters in <amallah, 3448 _n 1ovem+er 00, the French military Ionor guard held a funeral for Arafat at a military airport near /aris.C00aD /resident Jachues Ahirac stood alone +eside Arafat-s +ody for a+out ten minutes in a last sho= of respect for a leader he hailed as, "a man of courage".C008D ehe nebt day, Arafat =as flo=n to Bgypt-s capital Aairo for another +rief military funeral there, +efore his +urial in <amallah, later that day. ehe funeral =as attended +y several heads of states, prime ministers and foreign ministers.C00GD Bgypt-s top 9uslim cleric ;ayed eanta=i led mourning prayers preceding the funeral procession.C5FD 2srael refused Arafat-s =ish to +e +uried near the al?Ahsa 9oshue or any=here in Jerusalem, citing =idespread security concerns.C006D Follo=ing his Aairo procession, Arafat =as "temporarily" laid to rest =ithin his former headhuarters in <amallah, the ceremony =as =atched +y thousands of /alestinians.C5FD After ;heikh eaissir eamimi discovered that Arafat =as +uried improperly and in a coffin 7 =hich is not in accordance =ith 2slamic la= 7 Arafat =as re+uried on the morning of 1ovem+er 0a, at around a:44 am.C00FD _n 1ovem+er 04, 344F, prior to the third anniversary of Arafat-s death, A++as unveiled a mausoleum for Arafat near his temporary tom+ in commemoration of him.C00@D CeditD ;uccessor cpon Arafat-s death, /^A ;peaker <a=hi Fattouh succeeded Arafat as interim /resident of the /1A. /^_ ;ecretary?general 9ahmoud A++as =as selected Ahairman of the /^_, and Farouk *addoumi +ecame head of Fatah.C005D ehe /1A and the leadership of /alestinian refugee camps in ^e+anon declared forty days of mourning for Arafat.C5FD A++as =on the January 344G presidential election +y a comforta+le margin, solidifying himself as the successor to Arafat as leader of the /alestinians. CeditD ;ee also f ^ist of Fatah mem+ers f ^ist of /alestinians f 1o+el /ri`e controversies f /erson of the Year