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| Middle East |
| Arafat appeal for pre-election end to violence |
| 2003-01-13 |
| A Palestinian attempt to influence the Israeli election campaign with a temporary halt to attacks on civilians gave the Israeli prime minister, Ariel Sharon, a respite from damaging sleaze allegations yesterday. The Palestinian cabinet meeting under Yasser Arafat had appealed to militant groups for "self-restraint" in the run-up to the election in two weeks' time, an attempt to boost the chances of the Labour Party, which is calling for renewed talks with Mr Arafat. Oh, Yasser! You're so slick! But the call only embarrassed the Labour Party leader, Amnon Mitzna, who said: "Arafat cannot latch on to internal Israeli affairs, and cannot qualify his opposition to terror with dates." Mr Sharon seized on the proposal as evidence that Mr Arafat was masterminding attacks against Israelis for a political purpose. If Yasser thinks he'll get a better deal from Labor, what do Israelis think they're going to get? Mr Sharon told a cabinet meeting: "Killing Israelis a long time before the elections is fine, but once elections are near it is better to stop, only to continue after the elections have been held." The Palestinians have not hidden their preference for the Labour Party leader, who has promised to make an immediate withdrawal from parts of the Gaza Strip still occupied by Israel, and resume negotiations with Mr Arafat - something Mr Sharon has vowed never to do. That move would leave Bush holding the bag, trying to defend an Israel unwilling to defend herself. That's the problem with multilateralism, isn't it? |
| Posted by:Fred Pruitt |
| #3 Actually, he'd be in deeper sh*t if anyone actually listened and obeyed: If you can STOP them now, then you're responsible if you WON'T stop them later. |
| Posted by: Ptah 2003-01-14 06:57:34 |
| #2 Who is listening to Yasser? Wanna bet the Israeli voters are? |
| Posted by: Ben 2003-01-14 04:58:52 |
| #1 Is anyone listening to Yasser these days, you know, taking him seriously-like? Even liberal hollywood types? |
| Posted by: Anonymous 2003-01-13 18:08:38 |