Arafat, Abbas.. Between the Leader and the President?!

Every era has its state and men, and every man has a court and entourage that align with the current situation. A person is not born a leader; rather, he snatches his leadership from his positions. History never forgives. It has been twenty-one years since the departure of the immortal leader, the martyr Yasser Arafat (Abu Ammar), due to a severe illness - likely fabricated - and thereafter, President Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) assumed the presidency of the Palestinian Authority, the Palestine Liberation Organization, and Fatah movement. The Palestinian ship remains lost, sailing in a turbulent sea, battered by fierce waves, forcibly distancing it from its legitimate port.

However, why does the Palestinian people still sing the praises of leader Yasser Arafat, especially the sons of Fatah?

And in every election, the Fatah members hurriedly form lists bearing the slogan "The Martyr Yasser Arafat Bloc" while omitting any mention of President Mahmoud Abbas?! Despite the fact that both presidents are historical leaders of the Palestinian struggle and founders of the Fatah movement and the Palestine Liberation Organization, and President Abu Mazen is also considered one of the last leaders of the historical first generation!!

The image of Yasser Arafat in his keffiyeh, which represented the map of Palestine, and his military uniform, which he was never seen without, is ingrained in the minds of every Palestinian due to his role as a symbol of Palestinian national struggle and the creator of the Palestinian revolution that awakened the national consciousness of the Palestinians. As a historical leader, he symbolized resistance and protection of it, and a symbol of the fight for the goals for which the revolution was launched, which some described as the impossible revolution. Without it, the Palestinian cause would remain merely a refugee issue, legitimate goals that Yasser Arafat strived hard to achieve, such as proclaiming independence and embodying the hopes of the people in building their independent state with Jerusalem as its capital. Abu Ammar was also known for his enthusiastic sayings that ignited and inspired generations, such as: "Victory is coming, and dawn is coming," and "A cub from our cubs and a flower from our flowers will raise the flag of Palestine over the minarets of Jerusalem and the churches of Jerusalem, whether they like it or not, and those who are not satisfied can drink from the sea of Gaza, and to Jerusalem, we are moving, martyrs by the millions." These chants still resonate in the voices of Palestinians and remain etched in the Palestinian memory. Although many disagreed with him, they never disagreed against him. Even his fiercest opponents unanimously recognized him as a symbol of the Palestinian liberation movement!! Yasser Arafat was the longest chapter in the Palestinian narrative with all its details; he devoted his life for his people and their just cause. He was right at times and wrong at others, but his mistakes were forgiven for his symbolism that no one else could reach after him. He mastered political and military tactics, using all methods and maneuvering around the facts, like the "egg and stone" method, to escape pressures imposed by various regimes that sought to curb his ambitions and desires. At times, he would feign anger mixed with emotion to tame those who sought to stand in his way without exposing them to harm; he was a democratic dictator. However, he was always keen on national unity and bringing together all Palestinians, working as much as he could to pass his decisions through consultation. He sometimes bowed to storms but never fell, seizing any opportunity that arose to rise again and continue the path paved with thorns and mines.

The Palestinians did not see him merely as a president but a father under whose shade everyone took refuge. He interfered in the smallest details of daily life and was always connected to the concerns of his people, whether small or large. Many scenes encapsulated his greatness and humanity, carrying different messages, the most important of which is that true dignity is derived from the hands and feet of those martyr fighters and wounded individuals whom Abu Ammar never hesitated to kiss, which elevated him in status and standing among his people.

He was forced to embark on the path of peace through the Oslo Accords, despite their injustice to Palestinian rights, following severe pressures and closed doors in his face; nevertheless, they were a tactical station to plant his foot on Palestinian soil, rearranging and re-employing the Palestinian struggle anew to reach the desired goals and dreams of his people. He carried a rifle in one hand and an olive branch in the other, but his ships sailed against the winds he had hoped for for several reasons, most of which were the result of conspiracies in which both close allies and distant enemies participated. Abu Ammar ended his life with a phrase that outlined the features of the post-Arafat phase when he said: "They want me either a captive or a fugitive or dead; I say to them martyr, martyr, martyr.."

Undoubtedly, the absence of leader Yasser Arafat and the arrival of President Mahmoud Abbas in his place has left a clear negative impact on the Palestinian people, particularly on the Fatah movement, specifically regarding the leadership structure of the movement. Notably, President Mahmoud Abbas, who never wore military attire but rather elegant suits and ties, adopted the same Arafatian strategy but with a different and well-defined tactical approach. President Abu Mazen was more explicit and straightforward, distancing himself from the ambiguity that cloaked Yasser Arafat's policy. He held all the strings in his hand, monopolizing the Fatah and national decision-making without recourse to consultation among them. He surrounded himself with a retinue and entourage of the same ideology, isolating even the most crucial decisions. He acted from the perspective that he understood matters better, merging with Arab and Western stances citing reform and combating corruption—an intent that falsely aims to harm the Palestinian people in general—and removing those who oppose him from his path, to the extent of depriving them of privileges and exacting punishment, placing himself and the entire issue on the Oslo path alone. This path was shattered by the occupation in its policies, without any tactical movements here or there that would inflict losses on the "adversary," forcing him to return to the right path, completely nullifying the concept of armed resistance from the Palestinian doctrine and insisting on disarming everyone, presenting the option of peaceful popular resistance, which the occupation exploited to the fullest, exercising brutal suppression and swallowing more land, violating the sanctities of the Palestinian people. Even areas under complete Palestinian control did not escape his oppression, nor did the extremist settler gangs that the official occupation authorities unleashed to commit the most heinous acts of aggression against Palestinians. This negatively affected Palestinian life on all political, economic, living, and social levels. He did not care at all about the dissatisfied Palestinian street that rejected his policies, apart from a few opportunistic sycophants, while the majority chose to withdraw and distance themselves from the scene.

The tenure of President Mahmoud Abbas began with a division of Palestinian geography between Gaza Strip and West Bank, with Hamas taking complete control over the Gaza Strip. Some held President Abu Mazen responsible for this division due to his desire not to fight to avoid shedding Palestinian blood, which led him to take punitive measures against the Strip that affected ordinary residents. All subsequent attempts at unity between the two parts of the homeland failed, which resulted in an Arab and international view that belittled the Palestinian cause, diminishing its status in Arab and international priorities even before October 7, 2023. This raises numerous questions about the validity of the continued division and adherence to this policy that President Abu Mazen insists on.

Despite the passage of twenty-one years since his departure, leader Yasser Arafat remains the most influential figure in Palestinian life, a symbol around whom many rally, and he is considered a model of national unity, struggle, and resistance to occupation, refusing to succumb to extortion. Meanwhile, dissatisfaction with President Mahmoud Abbas and his policies is increasing, as many believe that he contributed to the fragmentation of national unity, divided the Palestinian ranks, and intensified the brutality of the occupation. Hence, the Palestinian enthusiasm for leader Yasser Arafat and the references to him in any electoral campaigns while avoiding references to President Mahmoud Abbas.