World Report: November 19, 2004 Vol. 10 Iss. 10
- This Issue:
- Table of Contents
- Cover Story
- Cover Story - Spanish Version
- Mini-Lesson
- Comprehension Quiz
- Teacher's Guide and Worksheets
The Death of a Palestinian Leader
Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat died last Thursday in a hospital in Paris, France. He was 75. As the news spread, thousands of Palestinians flooded the streets of the West Bank and Gaza to mourn the loss of their leader.
To his followers, Arafat was a symbol of hope for an independent Palestinian nation. Others saw him as a champion of terrorism who stood in the way of lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians. The two groups have clashed violently for decades over claims to the same land.
In 1994, Arafat was a cowinner of the Nobel Peace Prize. But in 2000, he rejected a plan for peace. For the last three years of his life, Arafat was confined by Israelis to his headquarters in the West Bank city of Ramallah. This is where he was buried on Friday.
Last Thursday, former Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas was elected chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization. Abbas will be the temporary leader until elections are held within the next 60 days.
Many hope that new Palestinian leadership will make peace talks in the region possible again. President George W. Bush urged world leaders to join together and work toward "the ultimate goal of peace."
