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ARABS QUIETLY CHEERING YASSER'S DANCE OF DEATH
THERE'S a Mideast saying that the only people who hate Yasser Arafat more than the Israelis are . . . the Arabs.
They know firsthand how Arafat brings trouble - that's why no Arab state offered refuge to terrorists hiding in the Church of the Nativity and Egypt nixed taking them temporarily for fear of getting stuck with them.
It's nothing new. Back in 1971, Jordan's King Hussein - father of today's King Abdullah - kicked Palestinian guerrillas out of Jordan for fomenting trouble, and then they targeted him for assassination.
Now insiders say a key to Team Bush's strategy is a belief that the best way to shove Arafat aside is with some winks, nods and help from Arab leaders in places like Jordan, Egypt and Saudi Arabia.
"If he does go, it will be at the behest of the Arabs," says a senior Bush administration official.
"They could pay him, or, depending on how much influence they have with other elements of the Palestinian Authority, they could outflank him. There's no doubt they would like the guy to go."
The official's scenario is just what the Israelis claim they were told at the White House: "You could make Arafat an elder statesman or you could create the climate where he delegates and keeps his title - but not the power."
Tacit Arab support would give the dump-Arafat move a lot more credibility in the Arab (and Palestinian) world than if America and Israel try to force him into exile.
Or suppose the European Union threatens to cut funding to the Palestinian Authority unless it "reforms." Translation: "dumps Arafat." That's more credible if Arab states quietly go along instead of howling.
Which is why it's likely that Sharon got told at the White House to cool his dump-Arafat demands. "Every time Sharon opens his mouth about how Arafat has to go, it makes it harder to do it," a U.S. official says.
And every time Arafat fails to deliver on pledges to stop terror, it's like an object lesson making Israel's case - "I think the game here is to let Arafat hang himself," says analyst Dan Goure of the Lexington Institute.
This being the Mideast, there's also plenty of double-speak and double-game.
For an Arab state like Saudi Arabia, quietly helping to push Arafat aside could be a way to validate antiterror credentials with the United States despite the fact that 15 of the 19 Sept. 11 hijackers were Saudis.
Officials such as Secretary of State Colin Powell say they accept Saudi assurances - but they also leave the door open to raising new terror questions with the Saudis if need be.
It's as if Team Bush is saying the Saudis may get a pass for past terror links like their "martyr" telethon - but there had better be no more and there had better be proof of changed intentions. Like leaning on Arafat.
It's nothing new. Back in 1971, Jordan's King Hussein - father of today's King Abdullah - kicked Palestinian guerrillas out of Jordan for fomenting trouble, and then they targeted him for assassination.
Now insiders say a key to Team Bush's strategy is a belief that the best way to shove Arafat aside is with some winks, nods and help from Arab leaders in places like Jordan, Egypt and Saudi Arabia.
"If he does go, it will be at the behest of the Arabs," says a senior Bush administration official.
"They could pay him, or, depending on how much influence they have with other elements of the Palestinian Authority, they could outflank him. There's no doubt they would like the guy to go."
The official's scenario is just what the Israelis claim they were told at the White House: "You could make Arafat an elder statesman or you could create the climate where he delegates and keeps his title - but not the power."
Tacit Arab support would give the dump-Arafat move a lot more credibility in the Arab (and Palestinian) world than if America and Israel try to force him into exile.
Or suppose the European Union threatens to cut funding to the Palestinian Authority unless it "reforms." Translation: "dumps Arafat." That's more credible if Arab states quietly go along instead of howling.
Which is why it's likely that Sharon got told at the White House to cool his dump-Arafat demands. "Every time Sharon opens his mouth about how Arafat has to go, it makes it harder to do it," a U.S. official says.
And every time Arafat fails to deliver on pledges to stop terror, it's like an object lesson making Israel's case - "I think the game here is to let Arafat hang himself," says analyst Dan Goure of the Lexington Institute.
This being the Mideast, there's also plenty of double-speak and double-game.
For an Arab state like Saudi Arabia, quietly helping to push Arafat aside could be a way to validate antiterror credentials with the United States despite the fact that 15 of the 19 Sept. 11 hijackers were Saudis.
Officials such as Secretary of State Colin Powell say they accept Saudi assurances - but they also leave the door open to raising new terror questions with the Saudis if need be.
It's as if Team Bush is saying the Saudis may get a pass for past terror links like their "martyr" telethon - but there had better be no more and there had better be proof of changed intentions. Like leaning on Arafat.
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Certainly you jest.
This is what happens to a Palestinian that dissents.
http://www.israelnewsagency.com/palestinianwarcrimes.html
Today, Chairman Arafat, canceled a visit to Janin for "security reasons". The media, that is CNN and BBC, are already trying to imply that there are Palastinian elements that might want to "liquidate" Arafat.
I suppose you are one of those to support such words as "Links to", "connections with" in order to imply directly a top down authority between Arafat or the PA and Hamas, or Islamic Jihad, if so you are another spreading disinformation. Israel wants a patsy to sell the Palistinians down the river and I would not put it past them to attempt to assasinate Chairman Arafat and try to make it look like internal descent. (are you part of that smoke screen?)
I think the Lukud vote yesterday shows the real colors of Israel's government for the war mongering facists that they are. They want occupation with as few palistinians as possible, and they don't realy care how they get it.
We keep hearing about "inocent" Israelis! Israelis including men women and children are living in occupied lands, and are alowing their government to continue bulldozing Palistinian houses, abusing Palistinians' rights, arresting them by the thousands without just cause, humiliating them, killing them extra-judicially using American sniper rifles, or missiles from American helecopters. The terror comes from a well equiped army with a blue and white flag and behind that is the 'good'ol stars 'n stipes.
The war against terrorism is a JOKE. America and Isreal are the terrorists. The war on terrorism is a misnoma, a creation of the people behind that cowboy called Bush (His daddy's friends). It conveniently saticfies their Facist ends and interests of both counties. Eventually the reality of this will become too apparent. The sooner the better.
Huh? There are MILITANTS in the Jenin refugee camp? I thought it was filled with innocent civilians, and most of them had been "massacred" by the Israelis anyway. Go figure!