Israelis kill Arafat in Beirut 1982

Given that Yasser's passed on now, how would hist have been affected had back in 1982 the IDF been able during Op PEACE FOR GALILEE, to sccuessfully assassinate Arafat during their attacks on Beirut ? With him out of the game at that stage, how would Mideast developments have progressed ?

As Arafat was boarding aboat for Tunisia at Beirut dock in October 1982, an Israeli sniper had a clear view of Arafat. He radioed in requesting permission to shoot: the order came back "no!", thereby condemning thousands of Israelis (and others) to death.

A bit akin to British sniper Henry Tandey in WW1 who had a chance to shoot Corporal Adolph Hitler, but showed him mercy, thereby condemning millions to death
http://www.firstworldwar.com/features/tandey.htm

The motto of the story: if you see your enemy, shoot first, ask questions later!

Was Arafat really that important? Was he that much more bloodthirsty and intractable than other Palestinian leaders? Would the Palestinian cause have collapsed without him?

I suspect we woud simply have another person in charge, though who and of what persuasion I have no clue. Any experts on Palestinian history here? If Arafat is killed in '82, who are likely successors and what kind of people are they? I sure don't think Abu Nidal would be any nicer.

Yeah, that's the tricky thing with killing arafat, or even with his death now- sure the guy is head of an umbrella organization that carries out anti-israeli violence, but how do you know that if he goes, somebody way, way worse would take over? What if that sniper kills arafat and then the only coherent palestinean organization is islamic jihad or hamas? In the 80's, I don't think it would have made sense for the israelis to kill him. He was getting on the goddamn boat, and he was leaving- wasn't that the objective of peace for the galilee?