World Leaders Mourn Arafat at Funeral

[Scurrilous]

http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=246934

World Leaders Mourn Palestinian Leader Yasser Arafat Amid Pomp of Funeral in Egypt

<snip>

"Yasser Arafat's funeral service began with humble prayers Friday and ended with a military procession, his wooden coffin borne on a horse-drawn gun carriage and draped in the Palestinian flag, followed by presidents and kings.

His veiled widow, Suha, and their rarely seen 9-year-old daughter, Zahwa, wept as a band dressed in scarlet played the Palestinian and Egyptian national anthems at a military airfield in northern Cairo.

The casket was then loaded aboard the Egyptian air force plane, which took off on the journey to carry Arafat's body to the West Bank."

<snip>

"Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, as well as Farouk Kaddoumi, the newly chosen head of the Fatah organization, and Mahmoud Abbas, head of the PLO executive committee, were among those in the front row of about 60 world leaders and other dignitaries who earlier marched behind the casket down Salah Salem Street, which was closed to the public."

[whistle]

1. Any U.S. or Isreali delegates in attendance at Arafat's funeral?

[Scurrilous]

2. The United States...

...sent Assistant Secretary of State William Burns. I'm not sure if Israel sent any delegates.

[AmericanGreatness]

3. This man was a BUTCHER

When he meets Allah, neither will be very happy

[CheGRules]

4. He was a freedom fighter

He was the only Arab to successfully stand up for the Palestinians against an imperial Israel.

[drdon326]

5. Cool....so you and Suha are the LAST two.

.

[Scurrilous]

6. An 'outstanding freedom fighter' - Mandela

http://iafrica.com/news/specialreport/middleeast/389776.htm

<snip>

"South Africa's hero of the anti-apartheid struggle Nelson Mandela on Thursday expressed sadness following the death of Yasser Arafat and described the Palestinian leader as "one of the outstanding freedom fighters of this generation".

<snip>

"Yasser Arafat was one of the outstanding freedom fighters of this generation, one who gave his entire life to the cause of the Palestinian people," Mandela said in a statement.

"It is with great sadness that one notes that his and his people's dream of a Palestinian state had not yet been realised.

"We trust that in these times of sadness and loss, the commitment to finding a just and lasting settlement will be redoubled on all sides," Mandela said."

[ArthurDent]

8. Sigh

Every day, Mandela falls slowly down the latter from champion to chump.

[Darranar]

7. "Successfully"? n/t

[newyorican]

10. Arafat was successful...

in bringing the plight of the Palestinians to the worlds attention. He successfully presented himself as a symbol of nationhood for the vast majority of Palestinians. He succeeded in bringing Israel, kicking and kvetching, to the admission that there should be a Palestinian state in the territories overrun in 1967.

He failed in many other areas, but those successes can not be denied by any honest review of history. In large part, those were the reasons he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize along with Rabin.

If not for Arafat, would there have been another to stand up to the worst aspects of Zionism? Maybe. I'd wager whomever that was would be demonized just as vociferiously, even if he/she made better choices as to methods in the pursuit of statehood.

[chr1stian_eid]

11. Thats just stupid man!

What about Ghandi?? The fact is Arafat was just as bad as Sharon. Worse, if you ask me.

[newyorican]

12. Rather than comment...

on your perception of my intelligence, perhaps you can point out factual errors.

And please stick to the topic, which is not Ghandi or Sharon....

[chr1stian_eid]

13. You said:

If not for Arafat, would there have been another to stand up to the worst aspects of Zionism? Maybe. I'd wager whomever that was would be demonized just as vociferiously, even if he/she made better choices as to methods in the pursuit of statehood.

If a nonviolent leader had emerged I doubt he would have been demonized.

[newyorican]

14. You doubt he would...

and I'd wager the opposite.

Leaders of any revolutionary/independence movement have always been demonized by the established power structure regardless to the methods used.

Now other figures can logically become part of the discussion. The two that come to mind are Gandhi and MLK. Both were demonized in the most vociferous manner by the established power structure they opposed.

Perhaps you can provide an example of a revolutionary leader that used non-violent means and were not demonized by their opposition.

[chr1stian_eid]

9. Does Mr. Arafat deserve this praise?

Arafat is responsible for so much suffering in Isreal and Lebanon... I know for Palestinians he was seen as the only real leader but the fact is that this man has done many evil things...