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You asked me to source Arafat's direct involvement in these uprisings.... check the UNLI's own communiques as summed up by this fairly sympathetic report:

An assessment of other communiques, particularly beginning with Communique No. 15 (30 April 1988) would indeed tend to support this. In addition to tone and content, a more simple "index" might be used, that being the number of references to the "PLO," "PNC," "Mr. Arafat," and so forth. The early communiques, developed from within the OT acknowledged the role of the PLO as the sole legitimate representative of all Palestinians, usually through a single reference in the preamble. Israel was, after all, attempting to fictionalize the Palestinians, and to separate Palestinian voices inside from those outside the OT. For this reason alone, the local UNLU was careful to open no cracks for Israeli manipulation. In Communiques No. 1-14, the average number of references to the PLO is one. With Communique No. 15 there is a subtle change in tone and perspective and in the number of references to the PLO itself. Five or six paragraphs focus on external, international issues and speak of "thwarting the U.S.-reactionary conspiratorial schemes;" of the "joint Soviet-Palestinian agreement to render successful the convening of an international conference;" of the "UN Security Council Resolution No. 605;" of the "Palestinian, Algerian, Libyan, and Soviet efforts;" of using "Syria to embody a relationship of militant alliance with the PLO;" and of "the sons of our steadfast people in the Lebanese arena." By contrast, in Communique No. 13 (10 April 1988) there is a single paragraph which states in fairly indefinite terms, "Now we can feel the increase in the international support of our cause and of our legitimate rights." Moreover, Communique No. 15 makes reference to the "PLO" a total of seven times and mentions "Brother Abu 'Ammar" by name; Communique No. 13 refers to the "PLO" twice, and makes no mention of Arafat. Communique No. 16 (11 May 1988) refers to the "PLO" no less than ten times, in conjunction with phrases such as: "The originator of our snuggle, the PLO;" "the presence of the PLO and the continuation of the Palestinian struggle within its framework;" "declaring the PLO as the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people everywhere" (stated twice in the communique); "through a commitment to the PLO;" "toward developing the unity of the PLO;" and, "to realize a national consensus within the PLO." There seems to be a clear attempt at bolstering the position of the PLO vis-a-vis the events of the Intifada within the Territories, with the apparent intention of wresting the internal policy-making function from the UNLU, through factional representatives on the outside. This trend of more frequent references to both the "PLO" and "Mr. Arafat" continues, as does the change in tone and the concern with world events external to the OT.

http://www.essaypool.com/...Blueprin...ommunique.html

There's also a bitter irony in describing it as a people's uprising, in that it marked the beginning of the end for what had been a largley Marxist Palestinian movement.

The truth is the uprisings had more to do with Jordan's witholding of funds from the Palestinians, and freezing their accounts in preperation for cutting all ties with the WB and Gaza.