When Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasir Arafat fainted in his bombed-out Ramallah office a few months ago, reportedly because of severe flu, panic engulfed the entire Palestinian political establishment. Palestinian officials were conspicuously perplexed, not knowing how to deal with the unprecedented situation. Eventually, Arafat regained consciousness, allowing PA officials and operatives to breathe a sigh of relief. The incident, says former Fatah Leader in the Hebron region, Ahmad Dudin, demonstrated the âfragile nature of the Palestinian Authorityâ.
| That's the weak spot in a dictatorship, isn't it? Even if Fearless Leader™ isn't a very good dictator. |
âThe Palestinian Authority has always been a one-man operation. Arafat never really agreed to share power. That is the problem.â Indeed, until the outbreak of the Palestinian Intifada against Israelâs occupation of the Palestinian homeland nearly 40 months ago, Arafat held all the reins, controlled all the money and took all the decisions.
| The intifada's as much a move by Hamas and IJ against Yasser as it is against the Israelis... |
In a certain sense, Arafat was the Palestinian Authority and the Palestinian Authority was Arafat. Moreover, the result of this autocracy was, according to one Palestinian human rights activist, âa police state without a state.â Arafat's critics accuse him of eliminating virtually all alternatives to him and refusing doggedly to appoint a deputy who would take over in case of the chairmanâs death, senility or incompetence. âThis is Arafatâs narcissism. And we are all suffering from it. I am afraid the Palestinian people will still be suffering from it even after his death,â says Dudin, who himself was imprisoned for several months for signing a leaflet demanding political and financial reforms within the Palestinian Authority.
| I'm still trying to figure who imposed that state of affairs on them. Guess it must have been the Jews... |
Sakhr Habash, a close aide to Yasir Arafat, disagrees. He argues that most of the fears surrounding the post-Arafat era stem from the fact that Arafat holds several key positions, including President of the Palestinian Auithority, Chairman of the PLO and Head of Fatah.
| ... and Grand Satrap of the West Bank, Potentate of Gaza, Star of the East... |
"They (critics) forget that we have mature institutions that will make the transition of power smooth and orderly."
| "Just like we do everything!" |
Habash recognises that the absence of Arafat would intially undermine Fatah. However, he believes that the movement would soon overcome "difficulties" because "we are a flexible and deep rooted movement". In the final analysis, Habash says democracy will be the ultimate aribiter. "The Palestinian people will decide, and Fatah will accept the people's decision," he told Aljazeera.net.
| Then his lips fell off, as the room erupted in laughter... |
Yasir Arafat is nearly 75 years old now, and with frail health. Moreover, his grip on power - since the Israeli army re-occupied the bulk of the Palestinian autonomous enclaves - has been considerably weakened. |