Yasser Arafat, President of the Palestinian Authority, died at a Military Hospital, just outside Paris on November 11, at 3.30 PM.

Arafat wanted to be buried in Jerusalem, but as Sharon rejected it, the compromise was a temporary burial at his Ramalla Muqata Compound where he spent his final three years in virtual confinement. About 40 countries were represented and many at the level of the Head of the State, including the President of Bangladesh at the State Funeral in Cairo. Later he was brought to Ramalla. It was an extremely emotional scene. Thousands of Palestinians in tears swooped on the coffin to have the last glimpse of Arafat, the only leader the Palestinians ever knew.

After having completed his University education Arafat started to build up the PLO with the aim of recovering his motherland from where the Palestinians were thrown out when Israel was established in 1948 and finally after 1967 war when Israel occupied West bank and Gaza. He and his associates moved from place to place -- from Jordan to Lebanon to Tunis and finally to Gaza. A part of his administration under Farouk Qadoumi who happened to be Arafat's political Advisor remained in Tunis and did not return to Gaza.

I had the great opportunity to meet Arafat and later Farouk Qadoumi in Bucharest while I had been an Ambassador there during 1983-86. I do not remember the details of the meeting but still fresh in mind is Arafat's ever-smiling face. He was a man of unending courage as he continued to struggle against all enemies -- mainly Israel and also several adversaries within the Arab world. He continued his fight and from a guerilla leader he became the top leader of his people, then to a statesman, and to a leader of world stature when he received the Nobel Peace Prize which he shared with Former Prime Minister of Israel Yitshaq Rabin and Shimon Peres. He was the undisputed leader of the Palestinian people and seen as the father of a nation. He is bracketed with the leaders like Ho Chi Minh, Nelson Mandela etc. as he had to go through similar struggle to raise his people who are seen basically as refugees to the level of a nation to be recognised by the international community. Finally he became the President of the Palestinian Authority and continued to work to establish the State of Palestine which he could not live to see it finally established.

Arafat's death was mourned by the world leaders through very positive statements recognising his lifelong struggle for an independent state for the people of Palestine. The role of France was really unique as French President Jacques Chirac sent an aircraft to take Arafat to Paris where he was under special medical care for about two weeks. After his death President Chirac personally came down to the hospital to pay his last respect to this great leader of the Palestinian people. Then France made full arrangement for sending the dead body of Arafat to Cairo for state funeral. France also sent its Prime Minister and other high officials to accompany the dead body. President Chirac said, " With him disappeared a man of courage and conviction who for 40 years incarnated the Palestinian fight for recognition of their national rights." France should have a special place in the hearts of the Palestinian people.

One may also see the positive reactions of British Prime Minister Tony Blair and his Foreign Secretary Jack Straw. Mr. Blair said Arafat was the "huge icon of the Palestinian people" and we should do whatever is possible in association with the US to help the parties to reach a fair and durable settlement. He also earlier spoke of a viable Palestinian state. Indeed he put it as the "highest priority" for the international community.

The reaction of President Bush is less said the better. Not only that he never talked to Arafat nor did he ask him to visit Washington for talks during the four years of his first term. Even before Arafat's death (just on rumor) President Bush said -- May God bless his soul but after his death he did not even mention his name let alone speak something worth mentioning. President Bush, however, in general terms said, " For the Palestinian people, we hope that future will bring peace and fulfilment of their aspirations for an independent, democratic Palestine that is at peace with its neighbours."

President Bush, however, had a joint press conference with Prime Minister Blair who visited him only two days after the death of Arafat. He walked joyfully and boastfully through the corridors of the White House with British PM Blair when US marines were busy in making Falluja -- a defiant city of Iraq -- a "Ground Zero". Even the International Aid Agencies termed Falluja operation with not only excessive but superpower force as a "disaster". In the joint press conference President Bush repeatedly spoke of the need for democracy and freedom among Palestinian people and electing a democratic leader for the purpose of establishing peace and democracy. But he never mentioned anything about the settlements that are needed to be removed from the occupied territories for the purpose of peace.

On a question from a reporter President Bush said -- when a person is elected by the people he is not a dictator; he is an elected leader. President Bush is right but why was Saddam then called a dictator? He used to be regularly elected and used to receive 99 per cent votes. It, however, depends on the type of election that elects a leader. President Bush did not take it that far as that was his main weakness. He was not elected by popular vote in 2000. Though President Bush said earlier that Palestinian state would be established by 2005, he is now saying that he would hope to see a Palestinian state during his present term i.e. during the next 4 years. Anyway, it's still not too bad. It is better than what Ariel Sharon said -- no Palestinian state in another 25 years (CNN's recent report by Walter Rogers).

It has just been reported that Sharon will not allow two million Palestinians of East Jerusalem to take part in January election to elect the President of the Palestinian Authority. One must point out that as long as Ariel Sharon is in Charge of Israel, there can be no peace; it's just not possible. He was never a man of peace. The change of government in Israel is a must for peace in the region.

Arafat has all along being blamed by Israeli and US administration that he missed the great opportunity when he failed to sign the peace agreement which was brokered by former President Clinton where Ehud Barak, the then PM of Israel offered 97 per cent of the occupied territories. It was true that about 97 per cent of the only 22 per cent of the original Palestinian territory (78 per cent already occupied by Israel) was offered, but that also did not give the Palestinians a contiguous state and such a truncated area could not be called a state let alone a "viable state". There was also no decision on East Jerusalem even through adjustments of the area occupied by the settlements near East Jerusalem nor was there any decision on the Palestinians' right of the return to their ancestral home which is now in Israel (there could at least be a provision for an appropriate compensation to the displaced Palestinians). So it is not correct to say that it was a great opportunity and it was the best deal for the Palestinians that Arafat failed to sign.

There are arguments that Arafat did not groom any successor. If one wants democracy to prevail, there could be no question of grooming of a successor. A successor is groomed under dictatorship. In any case, there are several leaders like Mahmud Abbas, Ahmad Qurei, Faruq Kaddoumi, Saeb Erekat, Nabil Sath, Hannan Ashrawi and many others to lead the nation. Indeed, there was an orderly transfer of power to the Speaker who would remain Interim President for 60 days and the election date has been set on January 09, '05. The work has apparently been undertaken for a united front with Hamas and Jehad so that serious political problems could be avoided. Hamas and other fighting forces should be brought into the main political process to curb further armed clashes with Israelis. Israel must encourage such negotiations with those fighting groups.

In order to hold a fair and effective election, Israel must create the right environment. The international community and particularly the US must prevail on Sharon to re-deploy Israeli army, remove the road blockades, allow the Palestinian leaders and their candidates to move freely to do election campaigning if there are more than one candidate. Israel must also allow the Palestinians of East Jerusalem to participate in the election to elect their own leaders. If Sharon thinks that Palestinians of East Jerusalem are Israeli citizens, then that would mean the end of the Peace Process as the Palestinians will never give up their demand on East Jerusalem. If Israel and the US are interested in peace, then there should be negotiations on how the latest settlements near or adjacent to East Jerusalem could be rearranged while fixing the final border under the Road Map. East Jerusalem is an internationally recognised occupied territory and unlawful annexation by Israel does not make it a part of Israel.

Muslehuddin Ahmad, a former Secretary and Ambassador, is presently the Vice Chancellor of Presidency University.