On behalf of the Filipino people, I wish to express my sincerest condolences to the people of Palestine on the untimely demise of President Yasser Arafat.

The Filipino nation mourns the passing away of a great leader of Palestine. President Arafat will be remembered by the peoples of the world for his contributions towards finding a lasting peace in the Middle East, particularly for his active role leading to the signing of the Camp David accords, for which President Arafat was awarded the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize in 1994.    In his lifetime, President Arafat  led the Palestinian people in the search for lasting peace through constant  dialogue.

It is our hope that the passing away of President Arafat will inspire the peoples of Palestine and the whole Middle East region to continue President Arafat’s legacy of further promoting the Middle East Peace Process.

At this time of mourning and bereavement for the people of Palestine, the Philippines reiterates its full support for the just aspirations of the Palestinian people for the creation of a free, independent, and democratic Palestinian State that will live in harmony, peace and prosperity with its neighbors in the region.

All of us who believe in peace pray that the Almighty will receive the soul of the late President Yasser Arafat in Paradise and will grant the Palestinian people  with strength and fortitude in the face of their great loss to continue President Arafat’s vision of  an enduring peace among the peoples in the Middle East. END