The body of Yasser Arafat, revered as the champion of Palestinian statehood and reviled as an opportunistic terrorist, was flown to Egypt tonight as the Middle East attempted to move forward in the search for peace.

Thousands of weeping Palestinians rushed into Gaza’s streets today to mourn Yasser Arafat, clinging to flags, clutching his photograph and waving the trademark headscarf of the leader considered the national patriarch.