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Cutting ties with PA will "cause an earthquake"
  • A decision by the United States to cut ties with the Palestinian Authority would ``cause an earthquake'' in the Middle East, an adviser to Yasser Arafat warned after the Bush administration said it was reviewing its ties to the Palestinian leader. Nabil Abu Rdeneh's comments came after President Bush leveled his strongest criticism of Arafat yet, saying in Washington that he was ``very disappointed'' over a weapons-smuggling scandal. The White House was contemplating its next move, including suspending contacts or demanding Arafat guarantee to make arrests in the smuggling episode. Bush focused on a boatload of Iranian weapons intercepted earlier this month, apparently headed for the Palestinian territories. ``That's enhancing terror,'' Bush said after reviewing U.S. ties to Arafat with his senior advisers.

    Instead of punishing the Palestinians, Abu Rdeneh said Bush should take measures against Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and not receive him at the White House. Sharon is to meet with Bush there on Feb. 7. A U.S. decision to cut ties with the Palestinian Authority ``will cause an earthquake in the region that no one will be able to stop,'' Abu Rdeneh said. ``What is needed is to isolate Sharon.'' Abu Rdeneh insisted the Palestinian Authority had no ties to the shipment of 50 tons of weapons, including missiles.
    There are lies, damned lies, and Arabs. If ties are cut, they'll be back to basics in no time, pushing Americans in wheelchairs off cruise ships. But it's precisely for that reason that we should be cutting ties with Arafat. He's had his chance, and he's shown what he is. He could have stopped, but he didn't want to. What an epitaph.
    Posted by: Fred Pruitt 2002-01-25
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    http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=153