On the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the death of the former leader of the Palestine Liberation Organization, the Palestinian embassy in Lisbon planted an olive tree next to the embassy gardens.
The Palestinian diplomatic mission in Lisbon commemorated this Monday the twentieth anniversary of the death of the former leader of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), Yasser Arafat, by planting, in his honor, an olive tree in the gardens of the embassy.
Before twenty guests, the Palestinian ambassador in Lisbon, Rawan Tarek Sulaiman, recalled, in statements to the Lusa agency, the “man of courage” who managed to unite the Palestinian people since he assumed the leadership of the PLO, in 1969. until his death on November 11, 2004.
“Today marks the 20th anniversary of the martyrdom of our iconic leader, the late President Yasser Arafat (Abu Amar). Every year, on this day, we celebrate this event. Abu Ammar [como também era conhecido] It symbolizes our identity, our resilience and our firmness. Therefore, every year we celebrate this occasion,” said Sulaimán.
“We also planted the olive tree in honor of his memory and in honor of the memory of the thousands of Palestinians who were murdered during the genocide in Gazabut also in the West Bank,” he added.
The Palestinian diplomat recalled that, at this time of year, in the West Bank, the olive harvest takes place, when the population, mostly farmers from their villages and also solidarity groups, gather to collect.
“But each year they are the target of unprecedented attacks by settlers protected by the occupation forces. Our message is to uproot the trees, the olive trees, and plant them again as a symbol of our identity, but also of our connection with our land,” he described.
When asked by Lusa what Arafat represents, 20 years after his death, to the Palestinians, who are currently facing a war against Israel, Sulaiman, insisting that he represents a leadership that united the Palestinian people at the time, considered him “a brave leader.” with whom I really wanted to make peace.”
“Now we continue your journey with the President [Mahmoud Abbas] Abu Mazen [nome por que também é localmente conhecido] and the Palestinian leadership, but also with Palestinians within Palestine and in the diaspora,” he responded.
Moments before the statements to Lusa, after planting the olive tree and listening to the national anthem of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA), Sulaiman remembered Arafat as a man who “embodied the fight for Palestinian independence and the creation of a State.”
“His leadership ensured international recognition of the Palestinian people and put Palestine on the world map. Throughout his life, Arafat illustrated the quintessential Palestinian experience and became a symbol of Palestinian identity, of the Palestinian people’s aspirations for nationality and statehood.
“Today we renew our commitment to continue the struggle until we realize their aspirations for freedom, sovereignty and independence, until we realize the dream of establishing an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital. We hope that one day we can honor his request to bury him in Jerusalem.
Yasser Arafat, born in Jerusalem on August 4, 1929, was a central figure in the Palestinian liberation movement for more than half a century. Educated in Cairo, he played an active role in the Palestinian nationalist movement from a young age.
In the 1950s, Arafat co-founded Fatah, the largest faction of the PLO, and became its spokesman in 1968. As leader of the PLO since 1969, his ability to resist and defy military and diplomatic pressure from the Israelis earned him earned widespread admiration.
Arafat became a symbol of Palestinian resistance, especially when, in 1974, he became the first Palestinian leader to speak before the United Nations General Assembly, with the famous statement: “I bring an olive branch and the weapon of a freedom fighter. “Do not let the olive branch fall from my hand.”
Together with Shimon Peres (president of Israel from 2007 to 2014 and prime minister on two occasions, from 1984 to 1986 and from 1995 to 1996) and also head of the Israeli executive between 1974 and 1977 and from 1992 until his assassination in 1995), The Palestinian leader received the Nobel Peace Prize in December 1984.
Source: Observadora
