November 11th marks the 20th anniversary of the martyrdom of Yasser Arafat, the founding leader of the Palestinian cause, known as "Abu Ammar."

This solemn anniversary comes amidst the ongoing genocide being carried out by the Israeli occupation military against our people in Gaza and the West Bank. Each year on November 11th, we remember the passing of a leader who dedicated his life to the liberation struggle, facing countless military and political battles. His journey ended in 2004 after enduring a brutal Israeli siege on his headquarters in Ramallah for over 34 months.

Yasser Arafat’s leadership was marked by strategic foresight, resilience, and the ability to turn setbacks into victories. Though his physical presence is gone, his legacy remains deeply embedded in the hearts of the Palestinian people and their leadership.

Arafat was born on August 4, 1929, in Jerusalem. He was educated in Cairo, where he served as a reserve officer in the Egyptian army during the 1956 Suez Crisis. He later studied engineering at the University of Cairo, where he became active in the Palestinian national movement, eventually becoming president of the Palestinian Students Union.

In the 1950s, Arafat was instrumental in founding the Palestinian Liberation Movement, "Fatah," and he became its official spokesman in 1968. In 1969, he was elected chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), succeeding Ahmad Al-Shuqairy and Yahya Hammuda.

In 1974, Arafat addressed the United Nations General Assembly in New York, delivering his famous line: "I come bearing the rifle of a fighter in one hand and the olive branch in the other. Do not let the olive branch fall from my hand."

In the summer of 1982, Arafat led the Palestinian forces in Lebanon against Israeli occupation aggression. After a siege of 88 days, he negotiated an international agreement for the safe evacuation of Palestinian freedom fighters from Beirut, famously declaring, "I am going to Palestine."

After his departure to Tunisia, Arafat continued to secure Palestinian rights and sovereignty. In October 1985, he survived an Israeli airstrike in Tunisia that killed many Palestinians and Tunisians. In 1987, he led the Palestinian Intifada (uprising) against Israeli occupation, while also engaging in international diplomacy.

In 1988, following the Palestinian Declaration of Independence, Arafat initiated a peace initiative at the United Nations and engaged in negotiations with the U.S. under President Ronald Reagan, which led to talks with the PLO starting in 1989.

In 1996, Arafat was elected president of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA), beginning the process of building a Palestinian state. However, after the failure of the Camp David negotiations in 2000, due to Israeli intransigence and Arafat's refusal to compromise on Palestinian rights, the Second Intifada (the Al-Aqsa Intifada) erupted.

In 2004, Arafat’s health deteriorated, and rumors circulated that he had been poisoned. He was flown to France for treatment but passed away on November 11th, 2004.

Though physically absent for 20 years, Arafat’s martyrdom continues to inspire Palestinian resistance, and his commitment to Palestinian national principles remains a cornerstone for future generations of leaders. His legacy endures in the hearts of all Palestinians.