Yasir~Arafat



Christine M, Rachel S, Joanna F
 * [[image:February_Feb22ArafatRamallahEidAlAdha.jpg width="287" height="219" caption="Yasir Arafat"]] || [[image:arafat.jpg link="http://www.nmhschool.org/tthornton/images/YasirArafat_06-96.jpg"]] ||

=Yasir Arafat Timeline=

=Summary:= Yasir Arafat throughout time has been described as both scornful and respectful. To his Palestinian people, Arafat portrayed the hero and the symbol for their dreams. On the other hand, to the Jewish people he fought with during his career, Arafat represented the head of an organization of murderers, as Time reported, “Arafat is like Hitler. He wants to see every one of us dead” (Reische, 143). He kept up the portrayal of being the “peacemaker” by brilliantly concealing any links to terrorist acts. One thing that Arafat could not conceal was his involvement in terrorist groups such as Fatah and PLO. As the creator he picked the name for Fatah by translating the first initials of his name “HATAF”. They translated to mean “death”. When he switched the letters Fatah translated to mean victory. Fatah, created in the late 1950’s, became known for supplying needs for all of Palestine’s people (Keene, eLibrary). The PLO (Palestinian Liberation Organization), formed in 1969, was one of the most well known terrorist groups. Under Arafat’s leadership, the PLO took over areas of Lebanon and Beirut. He transferred money from their economy into Palestinian funds. As the leader of the PLO he believed that no country had the right to control their affairs because many outsiders caused Palestinian suffering. On the other hand he could become involved in subverting Arab states with his PLO armies (Rubin, 57). Although Arafat was partially viewed as a terrorist, his peace negotiations in 1993 allowed him to receive the Nobel Peace Prize the following year. Between Yitzhak Rabin, Shimon Peres, and Arafat, the PLO and Israeli representatives drew up the Oslo Peace Accords. It stated Israel’s willingness to realize the PLO as the main representative of the Palestinians, as he was also willing to begin peace negotiations with them. From their joint efforts to create peace in the Middle East, those three men were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1994 (Keene, eLibrary). From this peace agreement, Palestine was allowed limited self-rule in parts of the West Bank and Gaza Strip under a newly created Palestinian National Authority. During this time, Arafat acted as chairman of the PNA until the first elections were held in 1996, in which he was elected president. He held his term for 8 years, as his death ended his rule (Galenet).

=Arafat's Impacts on Society= (Rubin, 57) || He transferred money from PLO’s economy into Palestinian funds || (Brooks, Atlantic Magazine) || (Brooks, Atlantic Magazine) || accountants – hired by Arafat's finance minnestry– claimed that part of Arafat's wealth was in a secret portfolio worth close to 1 billion dollars. It was stated that although the money came from public funds like Palestinian taxes, none of it was used for the Palestinian people. it was all controlled by Arafat and was a secret affair. (The Nobel Foundation) ||
 * =Social= || =Political= || =Economic= ||
 * In the mid 1980s, Arafat was extremely disconnected from his people who were living in Gaza and the West Bank (Rubin, 82) || Became president of the PLO which he became known for supplying needs for the Palestinian people
 * Took over other areas like Lebanon and repressed their people and through out their government(Rubin, 57) || Fatah-also contributed to his Palestinian power (Keene, eLibrary) || Forbade setting up an economy because the more the Palestinians suffered, the greater his capital grew.
 * For economic reasons he allowed his people to live in poverty (Brooks, Atlantic Magazine) || PLO took over areas of Lebanon and Beirut (Rubin, 57) || Israeli Military Intelligence found that in 2003 Arafat's personal wealth was 1.3 billion dollars, but he diverted 900 million to Palestinian assets. (Galenet) ||
 * Signed agreements to gain the lands of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank for the Palestinians to be able to live (Keene, eLibrary) || Signed Oslo Accords, which Palestine was allowed limited self-rule in parts of the West Bank and Gaza Strip (Keene, eLibrary) || Would not show that Palestinians were successful until Israel power ceased, in hopes of winning over Jerusalem, his ultimate goal.
 * || Refused to accept Israel, which created less land for his people (as a apart of the Oslo accords) (Keene, eLibrary) || In 2003, a team of American

=Embedded Technology=

This picture of Yasir Arafat indicates his double personality. On one side, he his shown as an admirable, powerful Palestinian leader able to unite the Palestinian people under his command under various organizations, such as the Fatah and the PLO (Reische, 9). Meanwhile, his other appearance symbolizes his stubborn dictatorship, as the Westerners, especially Israelis, viewed him as not only an enemy to many, but a murdering terrorist (Rubin, 57). But even though he displayed some peace efforts by signing the Oslo Accords, conflicting views upon Arafat make him hard to describe, for he can be both a hero and a villain (Keene, eLibrary). But, one word that fully describes him is controversial (Reische, 25). Keeping most of his thoughts and actions within himself, no one can clearly define this man (Reische, 29). So, this chart enables one to view the ways of Arafat, both chivalrous and evil.

=Works Cited:=

Pictures:
http://blog.camera.org/archives/arafat.jpg

http://www.september11news.com/February_Feb22ArafatRamallahEidAlAdha.jpg

http://www.fuenterrebollo.com/Israel/rabin-clinton-arafat-pq.jpg

Resources:
Brooks, David. “A Brief History of Yasir Arafat.” Atlantic Magazine July 2002. 20 Feb. 2008 <[|http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200207/brooks>.]

Keene, Ann T. “1994: Yasir Arafat, Shimon Peres, and Yitzhak Rabin.” 2008. eLibrary.

ProQuest. School Lib., King of Prussia, PA. 12 Feb. 2008 <[|http://elibrary.bigchalk.com/>.]

Reische, Diana. Arafat and the Palestine Liberation Organization. New York City: Franklin Watts, 1991.

Rubin, Barry, and Judith Colp Rubin. Yasir Arafat: A Political Biography. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2003.

The Nobel Foundation. “Yassir Arafat: The Nobel Peace Prize 1994.” Nobelprize. 1994. The Nobel Foundation. 26 Feb. 2008 <[|http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/1994/arafat-bio.html>.]

“Yasser Arafat.” Galenet. School Lib., King of Prussia, PA. 11 Feb. 2008 <[|http://galenet.com>.]