A helicopter carrying Arafat's coffin from
Cairo lands at Ramallah compound, Nov. 12. At least 5,000 Palestinians have
burst into the compound to await the return of their beloved leader's
body.(Xinhua Photo)
At least 5,000 Palestinians stormed into the compound, waiting
for the arrival of Arafat's coffin from Cairo where a military funeral was held
for the Palestinian leader earlier in the day. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)
Late veteran Palestinian Yasser Arafat was laid to rest Friday at
the Muqata, his headquarters in the West Bank town of Ramallah, where he had
been virtually confined by Israeli forces for nearly three years.
Arafat's body was laid to rest in a marble-and-stone grave. Muslim clerics
read Koranic verses and prayed by his gravesite. A Muslim cleric poured soil
over the casket.
Arafat was buried ahead of the scheduled time due to chaos erupted at the
compound in Ramallah as thousands of emotional mourners waved against the
security forces, who wildly fired into the air to disperse the crowd.
At least four people were wounded in the chaos, according to medical sources.
Sirens swirled above the sorrow-clouded crowd.
Arafat's coffin was flown back to his battered compound in Ramallah at 2:15
p.m. (1215 GMT) Friday.
At least 5,000 Palestinians have burst into the compound to await the return
of their beloved leader's body.
Emotions run wild when two helicopters, with one carrying the body of Arafat,
landed at the compound, stirring thick dust and sand.
Hundreds of people then encircled the two helicopters. Securityguards fired
into the air, trying to keep the situation under control. Human walls were
formed to ward off the emotional crowd.
After a 25-minute standoff, Arafat's coffin was carried out of the helicopter
onto a car.
The crowd then pushed their way to touch the coffin.
"With blood and soul, we will redeem you, Arafat," the mournersshouted.
Barred by Israel to attend the funeral of Arafat in Ramallah, thousands of
Palestinian mourners took to the streets of the Gaza City and held a symbolic
funeral for the late Palestinian leader.
A symbolic coffin wrapped with a Palestinian flag was carried on the
shoulders of eight militants from al O'mari Mosque in Gaza to the city downtown,
while militants and representatives of various political factions marched
towards Arafat's headquarters in the coastal city.
The mourners waved Palestinian flags and held Arafat's pictures,while
Palestinian militants fired gunshots to the sky.
Arafat, 75, passed away at 3:30 a.m. (0230 GMT) Thursday at a French military
hospital outside Paris after failing a battle for life for two weeks.
His death was shrouded in almost as much mystery and speculation as his life.
So far it was still not clear what causeda sudden deterioration of his health.
The Palestinian National Authority declared a 40-day mourning period.
On Friday morning, Arab and world leaders and representatives from more than
50 countries attended Arafat's funeral held in the Egyptian capital of Cairo,
bidding farewell to the late Palestinian leader.
Arafat, an icon of the Palestinian cause for four decades, was seen as the
great survivor of the international politics and the man who characterized
modern Palestinian history and aspirations.