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| Middle East |
| Officials still split on expelling Arafat |
| 2003-09-10 |
| The prevailing assessment in Israel’s defense establishment yesterday afternoon was that the Tzrifin attack was perpetrated by a Tanzim cell from Nablus. If true, the attack could have been the trigger to change Israel’s policy toward Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat, since Tanzim is affiliated with Arafat’s Fatah movement. But around midnight, the Hamas took responsibility for the attack both in Tsrigin and Jerusalem. As Sheikh Ahmed Yassin said last night, "the attacks could be by all the Palestinian groups, they are all fighting for vengeance." The end of the cease-fire and the resignation of Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas sparked renewed calls by Israeli politicians for Arafat’s expulsion. If his Fatah organization indeed proves to have been responsible for yesterday’s attack, this might encourage the government to either accede to this demand or to take other steps against Arafat. Several such steps have been considered over the last week, including severing his ties with the outside world by reinstating a tight siege around his Muqata compound in Ramallah and disrupting the compound’s telephone connections. Arafat’s expulsion was once again discussed in last night’s security consultations, but the defense establishment remains divided over the wisdom of the move, while Prime Minister Ariel Sharon attributes great importance to America’s position. Thus far, the Americans have opposed deporting Arafat, but solid proof of Fatah involvement in yesterday’s bombing might reduce their opposition - or at least get them to consent to a renewed siege of the Muqata. Clock is ticking... What will happen next if Israel expels Arafat? According to NYT: That speculation has given rise to a dark joke on the Israeli side: After any subsequent suicide bombing, in order to punish Mr. Arafat, Israel will have to bring him back Also my favourite from the same article: Mr. Arafat is riding in a car with Mr. Abbas, when he spots an obstacle. "Abu Mazen, there’s a tree in the road!" Mr. Arafat cries, using Mr. Abbas’s nickname. But the car continues on its way. Mr. Arafat’s warnings grow more frantic. Finally, the car hits the tree, and as the two Palestinian leaders stumble from the wreckage, battered and bruised, Mr. Arafat turns to Mr. Abbas and says, "Abu Mazen, I told you there was a tree." Mr. Abbas replies, miserably, "But you were driving." |
| Posted by:. |
| #8 Fred---I admit that you have a good strategy. But when will be the right time to fillet the arafish? |
| Posted by: Anonymous 2003-9-11 12:48:47 AM |
| #7 No, no! Encapsulate him, yes. Tighten the control of his compound, keep troops in Ramallah - but don't kick him out now. Keeping the pressure on Hamas, to the virtual exclusion of the other bad guy elements, is the key at this point. It allows concentration of force on a single target, rather than frittering it away on multiple targets. Kill Hamas dead, now. Wipe it out, root and branch. Then ask "who's next"? Maybe IJ will be dumb enough to step up. But the "moderate Paleostinians" will be becoming a lot more moderate. |
| Posted by: Fred 2003-9-10 11:03:26 PM |
| #6 Settlements of seemingly intractable issues are settled by total domination or conquest by one party. If there is some trust or goodwill, then the two parties can compromise. Split the arafish from the gills to the tail longitudinally and keep half in Ramallah HQ and send the other half to Cairo. |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2003-9-10 9:56:04 PM |
| #5 OP, some guy in a glass cage is hanging over the Thames in London. Time for an exchange? |
| Posted by: john 2003-9-10 9:48:17 PM |
| #4 Arafart needs to be forced into a stoppered glass cage, just slightly larger than his body, and put on public display opposite the Wailing Wall. Let him sit there and slowly expire while pious Jews continue to pray to a God more powerful than Arafart can deal with. After a couple of months, send the whole thing to Mubarak. |
| Posted by: Old Patriot 2003-9-10 9:38:59 PM |
| #3 Just bomb him already. |
| Posted by: Laurence of the Rats 2003-9-10 8:51:07 PM |
| #2 I guess he is not welcome to I guess he feels that his destiny is to be |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2003-9-10 8:42:18 PM |
| #1 Mubarak said that if Arafat were expelled Egypt would agree to take him in; he also said it would be grave mistake (or fatal mistake or something like that). This opens the door farther than it has been opened before. |
| Posted by: mhw 2003-9-10 8:21:50 PM |