in memoriam

Yasser Arafat, who died in France, was the standard-bearer of Palestinian nationalism for nearly half a century who never saw his dream of an independent state become reality.

Arafat was fond of saying that he looked forward to seeing the day "when a child flies the Palestinian flag on the walls of the Old City of Jerusalem".

Although loathed by his enemies and adored by his followers, all can agree he had a vision and fought for the realisation of his dream of a Palestinian nation until the bitter end.

Conspiracy theories abound in the aftermath of his death.

Of course what happens now is anyone's guess...