Arafat's true legacy

Regarding The Jakarta Post's editorial on the passing of Yasser Arafat ( Arafat, a legacy of hope on Nov. 12), Arafat was most certainly not "a great leader" and I do not believe that even a half-decent argument can be made that he was. Unfortunately, you made an elementary error of logic by confusing your legitimate support for the Palestinians right to a homeland with Arafat's leadership, which was abysmal.

First, Arafat was a failure. You admit this when you state that "he did not achieve the aims for which he thought". Second, Arafat was a terrorist and terrorism is wrong. Your support of his cause does not change this fact. Let's have a look at some of Arafat's "achievements".

In September 1972, Fatah-backed terrorists abducted and murdered 11 Israeli athletes at the Munich Olympics, blighting the world's most prestigious sporting event and bringing their conflict to a neutral third party state. His stated aimed was not peace but the obliteration of Israel, something he often repeated. He and his followers regularly attacked civilian Israeli targets such as buses and villages. Murdering civilians is not one of the hallmarks of a great leader.

As a political leader of his people he was nothing more than a dictator. Although he was elected to lead The Palestinian Authority in 1996, he never allowed further elections to take place, even though he was only elected until 1999. He curtailed press freedom and permitted no criticism of him. He was also corrupt. Forbes magazine estimated he was worth at least US$300 million and this was actually a conservative estimate.

Suicide bombings became the order of the day. Arafat was a corrupt murderer with strong dictatorial tendencies and I suggest that anyone who considers him a great leader has a seriously faulty moral compass. The Palestinians have a legitimate cause but Arafat did little to further it. Perhaps saddest of all is that it is ultimately the Palestinian people who have paid for Arafat's shortcomings.

NACHUM KAPLAN, London