Yasser Arafat Tribute

Arafat was a controversial and controlling figure throughout his lengthy career. While his supporters viewed him as a heroic freedom fighter who symbolized the national aspirations of the Palestinian people, his opponents described him as an unrepentant terrorist. Still others accused him of being corrupt or weak. Arab nationalists believe that he made too many concessions to the Israeli government during the 1993 Oslo Accords. However, Arafat has been widely recognized for leading the Fatah movement, which he founded in 1957.