Palestinian leader and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Yasser Arafat died November 11, 2004 at the age of 75. Arafat was a controversial figure, leading the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) for four decades. He was a driving force behind the now-stalled peace process, helping to secure the 1993 Oslo accords. While criticized for corruption and for not fulfilling commitments, he is remembered fondly by his people as the leader who would not compromise. Arafat was born in Cairo, Egypt, on August 4, 1929. After studying engineering at Cairo University, he immersed himself in Palestinian politics, becoming the leader of Fight Fatah in 1957. In hopes of achieving a Palestinian autonomous state, including East Jerusalem, he formed the PLO in 1964. Arafat's influence expanded after the PLO was recognized by the United Nations and began to receive foreign aid. In 1988, he declared the independent state of Palestine in Algiers and publicly renounced terrorism. In comparison to previous Palestinian leadership, Arafat allowed more openness and condemns violence, emphasizing the need for education and economic development. Arafat was in Paris for medical treatment when he died.