Arafat was the face of the Palestinian cause for nearly four decades. He led the Palestine Liberation Organisation through armed struggle and exile in Jordan, Lebanon and Tunisia. Later he shifted towards diplomacy, signing the Oslo Accords with Israel. He shared the Nobel Peace Prize, yet a final peace settlement never came. Admirers and critics still argue over his legacy.
Key Milestones
1959: Fatah – co-founds the movement
1969: PLO chairman – takes leadership
1974: UN address – speaks in New York
1993: Oslo Accords – White House handshake
Yasser Arafat (c. August 1929 – 11 November 2004), also popularly known by his kunya Abu Ammar, was a Palestinian political leader.
