Born on August 24, 1929 (Cairo, Egypt)
Died on November 11, 2004 (Paris, France)

President of the Palestinian Authority
Political activist

Yasser Arafat, the leader of the Palestinian people, dedicated his life to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state in the territories occupied by Israel after 1967, but he was unable to achieve his dream. He was considered a terrorist by the Israelis, and a menace by most of the international community, but a freedom fighter by the majority of the Palestinian people. According to the Financial Times' obituary of Arafat, "Edward Said, the late Palestinian scholar, regarded Arafat's main achievement as giving coherence, unity and national leadership to the cause of Palestine. This may prove to be his political epitaph but his legacy is far from secure."