Yasser Arafat: An icon of unity whose place hasn't been filled
Posted By Emma Sabry
November 13, 2007
Yesterday marked three years since the death of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, but the commemoration this year is different as the Palestinians are split into two separate entities.
"The anniversary of the death of president Arafat takes on a particular flavour this year because the homeland is divided in two, the West Bank and Gaza," says Imad al-Asfar, head of programming at a Palestinian TV channel.
"He was the only man capable of uniting the Palestinian people," he adds.
Arafat’s death followed a two-year siege of his Ramallah compound by Israeli occupation forces. Following weeks of mystery stomach pains, Arafat was flown to a hospital in Paris, where he died on November 11, 2004. The exact cause of his death is still unknown. Several Palestinian officials accused Israel of poisoning him, but medical officials have never managed to confirm the accusations.
The third anniversary of Arafat's death comes towards the end of a very divisive year in Palestinian politics. The Palestinian Authority which Arafat founded in 1994 now controls the occupied West Bank after the resistance group Hamas seized control of the Gaza Strip in June, overthrowing the security forces controlled by Arafat’s successor, President Mahmoud Abbas.
Despite the deep splits in the Palestinian territories, almost everybody is mourning Arafat’s death. This comes as no surprise; the legendary leader was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1994 for his efforts to create peace in the Middle East. Ironically, the U.S. and Israel regarded him as an “obstacle to peace”.
Days before the anniversary, official Palestinian TV broadcasted pictures of Arafat wearing his trademark black-and-white chequered keffiyeh headdress along with excerpts of his speeches and songs glorifying him as an icon of unity. One song mourned him as the man "with the big heart who departed and left us alone".
On Saturday, a new mausoleum built over Arafat’s grave at the Palestinian Authority leadership compound in Ramallah, together with a mosque and museum complex were inaugurated. (See video: Arafat mausoleum unveiled)
According to AFP, the Arafat Foundation, formed to preserve Arafat’s legacy, has supervised the building of the memorial complex. It’s chaired by Nasser al-Qidwa, Arafat's nephew and the former Palestinian representative to the United Nations.
"The interest aroused in the current domestic political context by this project stems from the fact that Arafat was always a symbol of Palestinian unity," Qidwa told AFP.
According to Qidwa, the Arafat museum will exhibit his personal effects, items from his office, presents and documents.
Even Hamas, which opposed Arafat's policies during his lifetime, marked the death anniversary of the legendary leader, whose shoes no Palestinian has been able to fill since his death.
"As a figure, there is a consensus on Yasser Arafat's symbolic stature and ability to harness our national principles," Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhum said in Gaza City.
"We hope the third anniversary of his passing will give national unity a new impetus," he added.
But it seems that Barhum’s hopes won’t come true as long as the power struggle between Hamas and Fatah continues. The Palestinians will not unite unless they find another “Arafat”.