In 1982, Israel invaded Lebanon, and Arafat fled to Tunisia. Six years later, under increasing international pressure, he recognised Israel as a legitimate state, and renounced armed opposition, though the violence continued unabated. It was also in 1988 that the state of Palestine was formally proclaimed in Algiers.
In 1990, when Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait, Arafat publicly endorsed the Iraqi dictator. This in turn enraged his Arab supporters, who opposed Saddam's invasion, and funding for the Palestinian cause literally dried up overnight.
American President Bill Clinton watches as the Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin (1922 - 1995) shakes hands with Arafat at the White House after the signing of a deal transferring much of the West Bank to Palestinian control.
Photograph: MPI/Getty Images
Also See: Tragic end to a beautiful life