1929 - Mohammed Abdel-Ra’uf Arafat al-Kidwa al-Husseini is born. Some sources say he was born in Gaza, other say in Cairo. President Arafat claimed he was born in Jerusalem.

1933- Arafat and his younger brother move to Jerusalem to live with their uncle, following their mothers’ death.

1948 - Arafat takes part in the first Arab-Zionist war, as British troops withdraw from Mandated Palestine.

1952 - As an engineering student at Cairo University, Arafat joins the Palestinian Students League after Egyptian General Nasser seizes power in a military coup.

1958 – Working as an engineer in Kuwait, Arafat and a group of Palestinian exiles form the Fatah movement.

1964 - The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) is established under Egyptian auspices, as the sole representative of the Palestinian people. Arafat takes over after Ahmad Shoukairy and Yehia Hammouda.

1965 - With paltry weapons and the name al-Asifa - "The Storm" - Fatah begins guerrilla raids against Israel.

1967 - Israel seizes the West Bank, east Jerusalem, Gaza, Sinai and Golan Heights in the 6 day war, increasing its territory by a fourfold and creates another exodus of refugees.

1968 - Palestinian factions and the Jordanian army fight a major battle with the Israeli army at Karameh. Motivated by the triumph after Israeli withdrawal, Arafat affiliates Fatah with the PLO.

1969 - Arafat is elected chairman of the PLO. Arafat takes over after Ahmad Shoukairy and Yehia Hammouda.

1970 - "Black September": The Jordanian Army attacks Palestinian forces in Jordan after guerrillas hijack four passenger planes to a desert airstrip in the kingdom. The PLO is expelled from Jordan and the new headquarter becomes Beirut.

1974 - Arafat delivers his first speech at the United Nations General Assembly, his famous words stick with Palestinians till today "bearing an olive branch and a freedom fighter's gun…[D]o not let the olive branch fall from my hand."

1979 – Arafat condemns Egypt’s President Sadat for his intentions to sign a peace agreement with Israel. His right hand man in Beirut Abu Hassan (Ali Salameh) is killed.

1982 – Israel forces invade Lebanon with the aim of driving away Palestinian guerrillas from the south of Lebanon. Israeli troops push on to Beirut and the PLO is forced to evacuate its fighters. In September of that year, defense minister Ariel Sharon with his Lebanese allies, commit the atrocities of Sabra and Shatila, killing at least 1000 innocent Palestinian and Lebanese civilians.

1983 - A senior Fatah officer Abu Mousa heads a revolt against Arafat. Syrian troops and PLO rebels besiege his remaining forces in north Lebanon. Arafat leaves for Tunisia.

1987 - Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza launch a popular uprising against occupying Israeli forces. Arafat associates himself with and embraces the "Intifada."

1988 - Arafat reads the declaration of independence for a Palestinian state in Tunisia. He later publicly rejects "all forms of terrorism," meeting US conditions for dialogue, and says Israel has a right to exist.

1990 - Arafat supports Iraq's Saddam Hussein over his invasion of Kuwait, costing ties with wealthy Gulf States.

1991 - Under U.S and Soviet auspices, the Middle East peace conference convenes in Madrid, Spain. A local Palestinian Delegation from the occupied territories is formally represented for the first time. All parties agree to adopt the Land for Peace formula.

1992 - Arafat survives a plane crash in a sandstorm in the Libyan desert. Three crew members are killed in crash.

1993 - At the White House, Arafat and Israeli Prime Minister Rabin make historical handshake, sealing the framework for limited Palestinian self-rule in the West Bank and Gaza under an interim peace accord secretly negotiated in Oslo, Norway. The Oslo agreement was greeted with great skepticism by many in the world.

1994 - Arafat returns triumphantly to Gaza and establishes the Palestinian National Authority (PNA). PNA and Israel sign Gaza-Jericho agreement in May of that year.

1995 - In Washington, Arafat and Rabin sign an interim agreement setting the stage for Israeli redeployment in the West Bank. Later in the year, Rabin is assassinated by Jewish extremist.

1996 – In a land slide victory Arafat is elected as Palestinian National Authority President in West Bank and Gaza elections. He launches a crackdown on Islamic factions after waves of suicide attacks in Israel.

1997 - Palestinians sign a deal with the government of right-wing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for the long-delayed handover of most of Hebron. After that, peacemaking grinds to a halt, as result of Israeli procrastination and further Israeli violations.

1998 - Arafat and Netanyahu sign Wye River deal for phased Israeli withdrawals from West Bank cities. Netanyahu freezes it after two months, saying Arafat has not met security conditions.

1999 - Arafat signs a deal with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak setting a September 2000 deadline for a final peace treaty after final status talks.

2000 - Peace talks collapse. Palestinians start second Intifada after then-opposition leader Ariel Sharon visits the noble sanctuary accompanied by as many as 1000 Israeli special forces.

2001 - Sharon, is elected Israeli Prime Minister.

2002 - Arafat is placed under siege at the Ramallah compound by Israeli troops, amid an offensive launched after a huge suicide bombing by Palestinian militants.

2003 - Arafat appoints moderate Mahmoud Abbas as Palestinian Prime Minister under international pressure for him to cede some of his powers but refuses to relinquish control of security forces. Palestinians endorse US-backed "road map" peace plan.

2004 - Arafat faces unprecedented internal unrest and demands for anti-corruption reforms, and falls ill with stomach ailment. On October 29, following initial Israeli refusal Arafat is flown to France for treatment. On November 11 Arafat is announced dead by Tayib Abdel Rahim. He is granted an official funeral in France and Egypt. On November 13 Arafat is laid to rest in Ramallah, after an Israeli refusal to have him buried in Jerusalem.