Arafat´s lifelong struggle

cctv.com 11-05-2004 09:14

Yasser Arafat was born in 1929 in Egypt. After graduating in civil engineering from the University of Cairo, in 1956 he formed an underground organization, later known as Al Fatah. The group fought for a Palestinian state, carrying out attacks on Israeli targets. In 1988 Arafat rejected all forms of terrorism and sought a dialogue with both Israel and the United States. Eight years later, he was elected president of the Palestinian National Authority.

Arafat is as a symbol of Palestinian statehood. Even his appearance is revolutionary: his unshaven face, the black and white kaffiyeh on his head, his military uniform and pistol.

Arafat was the first representative of a non-government agency to address the UN General Assembly. With a pistol-holder strapped to his hip in 1974, he said "I have come bearing an olive branch and a freedom fighter's gun. Do not let the olive branch fall from my hand."

His words still resonate with the Palestinian people today. Arafat has dreamed of a Palestinian state since he was a young man, and thought fighting Israel would bring freedom and a nation to Palestinians. But decades of bloodshed did not bring either. Then in 1992, he began to negotiate with Israel.

In 1993, Arafat and Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin signed the Oslo peace accords, establishing a framework for an agreement aimed at bringing peace to the region. This earned him the Nobel Peace Prize in 1994.

But the Middle East peace process has been through ups and downs since Rabin's assassination by a right-wing Israeli extremist in 1995. And violence has escalated since Arafat's arch-nemesis Ariel Sharon became Israel's Prime Minister.

To Palestinians, he is the symbol of their struggle for freedom. But to Israelis, he's the symbol of the destruction of their country. And Israel has come close to killing him several times.

According to Arafat, over the course of half a century, he has survived 40 assassination attempts. His ability to survive has earned him the nickname the "The Master of Survival".

Editor:Chen  Source:CCTV.com