Yasser Arafat Autograph

Profession:
(1929-2004) 1st President of the Palestinian National Authority.

Year of Birth: 1929

Yasser Arafat was a Palestinian leader who served as the Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) from 1969 until his death in 2004. He was the first Palestinian leader to recognize Israel's right to exist in 1993. He then led the Palestinian Authority from its establishment in 1994 until his death in 2004. He was a controversial figure in the Middle East, as well as in the international community.

Arafat was born in Cairo, Egypt on August 24, 1929. His father, Abdel Raouf al-Qudwa al-Husseini, was a Palestinian from the city of Jerusalem, and his mother, Zahwa Abul Saud, was a Palestinian from the city of Jaffa. Arafat's family moved to Jerusalem when he was a child and he attended a local elementary school. He then went on to study civil engineering at Cairo University, graduating in 1956.

Arafat was a key figure in the establishment of the PLO in 1964. He was elected Chairman of the organization in 1969 and served in the position until his death in 2004. Under his leadership, the PLO became the most influential Palestinian organization in the world. He was a major proponent of Palestinian nationalism and called for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

Arafat was also instrumental in the 1993 Oslo Peace Accords, a historic agreement between the Israeli government and the PLO. Under the agreement, Arafat was given control of the Palestinian territories in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, and the Palestinian Authority was established. He served as the first President of the Palestinian Authority from 1994 until 2004.

Arafat was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1994, along with Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres, for their efforts in negotiating the Oslo Accords. He was also awarded the United Nations Peace Medal in 1995.

Arafat died of a massive stroke on November 11, 2004. His death was met with both sorrow and celebration in the Middle East, and he was remembered as a controversial figure who worked tirelessly for the cause of Palestinian independence. His legacy continues to be felt in the region and around the world.