The fight continues. In the power-vacuum immediately
following Arafat's death, his
followers promised to fight on for a free Palestine. In January 2005, the
Palestinian people will democratically elect a leader for the first time in
their history. Thousands of grieving Palestinians gathered for the funeral of
Yassir Arafat at his headquarters in the westbank town of Ramallah. After an
unidentified illness, Arafat was given permission to travel to Paris for
medical treatment. He had previously been under houses arrest since the start
of the recent Intifada. When his body finally arrived home for his funeral,
tens of thousands gathered around the Mukata - Arafat's and the Palestinian
Authority's headquarters.