Medal - Independence Declaration Brass

Reverse

Occasion in Arabic Calligraphy

Lettering:
يوم اعلان
استقلال دولة
فلسطين
١٥ تشرين الثاني ١٩٨٨

Translation:
Day of Declaration of the
Independence of the State of
Palestine
15 November 1988

Edge

Reeded

Comment

The Palestinian Declaration of Independence is a statement written by the Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish and proclaimed by Yasser Arafat on 15 November 1988 (5 Rabi' al-Thani 1409). It had previously been adopted by the Palestinian National Council, the legislative body of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), by a vote of 253 in favour, 46 against and 10 abstentions. It was read at the closing session of the 19th Palestinian National Council to a standing ovation. Upon completing the reading of the declaration, Arafat, as Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization assumed the title of "President of Palestine." In April 1989, the PLO Central Council elected Yasser Arafat the first President of the State of Palestine.