Many audience members present said they appreciated the opportunity to see Arafat speak in person.

"I think when you read what someone says in the newspaper it's really hard to get a real sense of their sincerity," said Mike P. Dybbs '97.

"Hearing him say that he wanted to speak from his heart to our hearts was a really reassuring feeling--one you can't get from the rhetoric that comes out on television," Dybbs said. "That's really why I came to hear him today."

One student said he sympathized with the difficulty of Arafat's rule.

"I think it's really hard coming from a tradition of violence to change so much, and especially in that area of the world where there has been so much violence," said Caitlin E. Rosser '97.

"Tonight, just from listening to his remarks, it sounds like it's hard to make the people over there that he's working with cooperate," she said.

"I think I believe him more now, after he told us how hard it is," Dybbs added.

The address was aired live on CSPAN and the Associated Press, Reuters, and other press agencies such as ABC, NBC, CNN, Time, Newsweek and The Economist were present at the event