Tomorrow, November 11, 2004, marks 20 years since the world lost Yasser Arafat, one of the most complex, influential and controversial figures in the history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Yasser Arafat began his career in the liberation struggle, which led to him being seen by many as a terrorist, but over the years he clearly became a prominent political leader and an icon of Palestinian resistance.

Known as the "father" of the Palestinian nation, he left a legacy that is still felt today in the Palestinian people's ongoing struggle for self-determination. Although he was honored as a symbol of resistance, his true role in negotiating peace and ending the Israeli-Palestinian conflict remains widely debated.

After his death, which occurred in circumstances shrouded in mystery, which fueled speculation and theories about a possible poisoning, he was elevated to the status of martyr by those who saw him as a symbol of Palestine's historic struggle for self-determination.

However, the question remains: if he were still alive, would he have been able to prevent the escalation of current tensions and change the course of history?

Yasser Arafat became a central figure in the Palestinian national movement at a young age, especially after co-founding Fatah in the 1950s, which established itself as the largest faction of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). In 1969, Arafat assumed leadership of the PLO and, in the following years, became a symbol of resistance and perseverance in the face of Israeli pressure.

In 1974, when he took the pulpit to address the United Nations General Assembly, he made a famous statement, stating that he held a gun in one hand and an olive branch in the other, thus demonstrating his firm desire to combine peace with the fight for Palestinian freedom.

“I come with an olive branch in one hand and the weapon of the freedom fighter in the other.”

“Do not let the olive branch fall from my hand.”

His image, widely publicized, was that of a charismatic leader committed to the Palestinian cause. In 1993, he surprised the entire Arab world by signing the Oslo Accords with Israel, recognizing for the first time the Palestinians' right to self-determination.

Before signing the accords, Yasser Arafat, as chairman of the PLO and its official representative, signed two letters renouncing violence and officially recognizing Israel. In return, Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, on behalf of Israel, officially recognized the PLO.

This act earned him the Nobel Peace Prize, along with Shimon Peres, and is a landmark both for the history of the Palestinian struggle and for his own leadership, as it demonstrated his willingness to find a peaceful resolution to the conflict. However, this approach was not unanimous; for some, Yasser Arafat conceded too much, and for others, he did not go far enough.

The final years of Yasser Arafat's life were marked by complex internal and external pressures, especially after the failure of the Camp David Summit in 2000. His refusal to accept Israeli conditions, which he considered detrimental to Palestinian interests, contributed to the outbreak of the Second Intifada.

This turbulent period intensified the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians and placed Yasser Arafat under siege by Israeli forces at his headquarters in Ramallah, where he remained confined until his death.

What would Yasser Arafat have done if he were still alive? This question is raised by journalist Paul Cainer, who wondered what impact Arafat might have had on the split between Fatah and Hamas.

In 2006, this division culminated in a bloody civil war, leading to Hamas's control of the Gaza Strip and splitting Palestinian authority. Shalom Ben Hanan, former leader of the Israeli security services, reflects that Yasser Arafat's survival could have prevented this split, delaying Hamas's rise to power and subsequent military operations.

The circumstances of Arafat's death remain a delicate and controversial issue to this day. He died in a military hospital in Paris after a rapid deterioration in his health, but the exact causes have never been fully clarified.

Many Palestinians, including Yasser Arafat's own family members, believe he was poisoned, possibly by Israeli intelligence, while figures such as Ben Hanan, a general and member of the Israeli Defense Ministry, maintain that he died of natural causes.

“I urge security investigators or Arafat’s nephew to come forward with any evidence.”

“This is a fairy tale they've been telling: blaming Israel for everything.”

Ben Hanan stated, denying any Israeli involvement in the incident. A few years later, in 2013, a controversial investigation conducted by Al Jazeera rekindled suspicions by claiming that traces of polonium-210, a radioactive substance, had been found in Yasser Arafat's belongings.

This fact raised new speculation that he had been murdered with radioactive material, possibly produced in nuclear reactors, which would indicate the involvement of a nuclear-capable power, such as Israel. However, subsequent investigations by Swiss, French, and Russian teams yielded inconclusive results.

The anniversary of Arafat's death comes at a particularly sensitive time for the Palestinian people, amidst a backdrop of intensified conflict. Since the Israeli attack on Gaza in October 2023, more than 43.600 Palestinians, the vast majority of them children, have lost their lives and more than 102.900 have been injured.

In the West Bank, hundreds of Palestinians, including many children, were also killed. This grim panorama of violence and loss reinforces Yasser Arafat's symbolism in the fight for self-determination and Palestinian rights.

For many Palestinians, Yasser Arafat, besides being a historical figure, represents the very identity and national resistance of Palestine. His legacy continues to inspire generations in the struggle for a free and just Palestine, as the WAFA news agency recalls:

“Although Yasser Arafat is not physically present, his legacy continues to shape Palestinian identity and its struggle for justice.”

Twenty years after his death, Yasser Arafat remains a central figure in the Palestinian imagination and in the Middle East conflict. For some, he was a leader of peace who sought to balance diplomacy with resistance; for others, his actions and decisions contributed to the divisions and complexities that still plague the Palestinian people.

However, its undeniable impact on the history and politics of the Middle East remains a unifying force in the Palestinian people's ongoing quest for self-determination.

The memory of Yasser Arafat, with his achievements and controversies, leaves us a legacy that symbolizes both the struggle for peace and determination in the face of adversity, and which remains rooted in the identity of a people who still find themselves forced to fight for a more just future.