Editor,
I chose this topic to mark the remembrance of a great man that we lost a year ago this month: Yasser Arafat. Yasser Arafat was simply a man who fought for freedom of his people. He was a freedom fighter, a liberator, a peacemaker and a man of integrity.
He dedicated his life to bringing justice to the oppressed Palestinian population both living in Palestine and also to the millions who where kicked out of their homes and their country and are now known as the refugees. President Arafat died a slow, painful death confined to his damaged headquarters at times without electricity, and refused to leave to another place or another country where he could live a safe life.
Have those who call Arafat a terrorist forgotten that Arafat was the one who signed the Oslo Accord and recognized Israel, even though Israel does not recognize Palestine to this day, even though Israel was built on the lands of Palestine? And by the way, if you still think he is a terrorist, then how do you explain him winning the Nobel Peace Prize in 1994? How can one forget that following the tragedy of Sept. 11, 2001, Arafat rushed to a medical clinic to donate his own blood for injured Americans?
Then come the claims that Arafat did not stop the violence and Arafat refused peace with Israel when he had the chance. Arafat was blamed time and time again for not stopping attacks against Israel, while at the same time his police and security forces were being attacked. Government and police buildings where bombed - using American-made weapons - and Palestinian police where not allowed to carry weapons amid constant Israeli military incursions which brought chaos to the whole area. How can any government, police force or president perform properly while lacking the resources to do so and being attacked constantly?
So did Arafat lose his only chance in Camp David, refuse peace and turn to violence? First of all, the signing of the agreement did not include the right of return of Palestinian refugees, and if Arafat signed the agreement, it would mean that the majority of the Palestinian population who are refugees would not be allowed to ever return to their country. It would be the ultimate back stab and neglect of the Palestinians.
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Also, in the agreement, Israel would maintain some of its internationally illegal settlements in the territories and would not ensure legitimate borders of the new state of Palestine. Instead the proposal would split the Palestinian areas to north and south, east and west, so that the Palestinian state would be a group of islands surrounded by Israeli settlers and soldiers. How can you call a country sovereign if it has no real borders? Arafat will always be remembered as the man who put his people back on the map, a freedom fighter, and a Nobel Peace laureate. May this great leader of peace rest in peace.
Shafeek Kubha
Daily Lobo reader
