Case in point here is Yasser Arafat. His groups, including the PLO, were responsible for the deaths of thousands of civilians through countless guerrilla and terrorist attacks on Israel and Israel's allies. Yet, in the end, they achieved the political goal of being legitimized as a representative body for the Palestinians. In 1993, the PLO declared Israel has a right to exist (contrary to Arab & Muslim beliefs). This smacks of the ideology that Muslims are allowed morally to lie to their enemies to attain their objectives. I don't think any intelligent person can believe a person like Arafat who dedicated his life to wiping out Israel would do a 180 and truthfully declare the right of Israel to exist. The Muslim countries like Libya and Iraq who funded Arafat's causes for decades still call for Israel's eradication from the face of the Earth.
I was literally sick when I heard Arafat and the PLO were being formally recognized by the UN and the US as a diplomatic entity. Compared to Mandela, there is not much difference. And to call these terrorists "freedom fighters" ... I wonder if they are truly seeking freedom, or the annihilation of others whom they consider their enemies.