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Why did Yasser Arafat leave Beirut in 1982?
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Yasser Arafat
Yasser Arafat, leader of the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO), wearing the keffiyeh, 1996.
Yasser Arafat left Beirut in 1982 primarily due to the Israeli invasion of Lebanon, which began in June of that year. Israelās stated objective was to destroy the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and its bases, which had been headquartered in Beirut for several years.12
As Israeli forces encircled the capital and subjected it to massive shelling, the PLO entered into negotiations to end the siege. Following these agreements, PLO forcesāincluding Arafatāevacuated the city under the supervision of a multinational peacekeeping force. Arafat subsequently relocated his headquarters to Tunis, Tunisia, at the end of August 1982.32