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Portrait of Yasser Arafat

Photo: Gideon Markowiz · CC BY 4.0

Yasser Arafat

Fatah co-founder, PLO chairman and Palestinian Authority president

Born
24 August 1929
Born in
Cairo, Egypt
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Why Yasser is here

Yasser Arafat was a central figure in the Palestinian liberation movement. As the chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and leader of Fatah, he was instrumental in shaping the Palestinian national identity and struggle for statehood. His leadership included both armed resistance and diplomatic negotiations, most notably leading to the Oslo Accords, which were a significant step towards Palestinian self-rule.

Their story

Yasser Arafat (1929–2004), known as Abu Ammar, was born to Palestinian parents in Cairo. He co-founded Fatah in the late 1950s and led the Palestine Liberation Organization from 1969 until his death, becoming the face of the Palestinian national movement for the world.

He addressed the UN General Assembly in 1974 holding "an olive branch and a freedom fighter's gun", signed the Oslo Accords in 1993 and shared the 1994 Nobel Peace Prize. He returned to Palestine as President of the Palestinian Authority, spent his last years besieged in his Ramallah compound, and died in Paris in 2004. He is buried in Ramallah.

In pictures

Milestones

The moments that shaped Yasser’s path.

  1. 1959

    Co-founded Fatah, a Palestinian guerrilla organization.

  2. 1969

    Became the chairman of the PLO.

  3. 1974

    Addressed the United Nations General Assembly advocating Palestinian rights.

  4. 1993

    Played a key role in the signing of the Oslo Accords.

  5. 1974

    The PLO, which he chaired, gained recognition as the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people.

  6. 1994

    Shared the Nobel Peace Prize with Shimon Peres and Yitzhak Rabin.

Legacy

What they built, changed and left behind.

  1. PLO Chairmanship

    His leadership of the PLO was pivotal in representing Palestinian interests on a global stage.

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  2. Oslo Accords

    Facilitated the Oslo Accords, leading to the establishment of Palestinian self-rule in parts of the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

  3. International Advocacy

    Arafat's extensive global advocacy efforts bolstered Palestinian recognition and support.

  4. UN Address

    His 1974 address to the UN General Assembly was a historic moment in Palestinian diplomatic efforts.

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Yasser in interviews, talks and coverage.

  • 01PLO Chairmanship↗

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