Israel decides to expel Arafat

[Bereta_Eder]

Correct.

[BeBMan]

Originally posted by Azazel
The No.1 reason that I don't like this decision is that it won't be carried out.

I´m against it too. But if one is for or against that decision - only announcing that Arafat will be expelled, then waiting until even the last Palestinian views him as martyr and supports him even more is the most stupid thing to do. They should either not do it at all (or keep quiet if there are any plans), or they should do it immediately without such an announcement that gives Arafat a kind of importance he hardly had during the past months.

[Az]

precisely.

[PLATO]

Originally posted by GePap


OR, they could return to working with the PA, accepting that Arafat remains the head but ignoring him, and doing things to help build the political strength of another individual who can then challange Arafat for the leadership and win the backing of the Palestinians from Arafat.

Not hitting Hamas is not the same as running Hamas: the Islamist militants act outside of Aarafts control and if anyone gains from an Israeli obcession with him it is them..just look, two years of attacking the PA, and now even if the PA wanted to take oin Hamas they are much weaker than before while hamas retains its political popularity.

Everytime they have tried working with the PA, terrorism continues. Everytime they crack down, terrorism continues. When it suits Arafat to have a cease fire, then he has enough influence to bring Hamas aboard. He directly controls both legitimate an illigitimate forces of the PA. He has over 30 years of continual terrorist activity behind him. He serves as a symbol of hate against Israel. Somehow he must go. With him there can be no peace because he will not allow it. Working with him has been tried and tried and tried again. He will accept nothing less than the destruction of Israel. The time of suggesting that anyone work with him is done...the simple reason is that he won't work for peace. There is no good solution...exile puts him on the world stage...assination matrys him...leaving him in place torpedos any chance for real peace.

The only chance for exile is if Europe can recognize the above and help make him irrelevant. If the major nations (politically) ignore him and support is given to a succesor then there is a small chance for progress. The other two options provide none. IMO, there will be no peace until after he dies of natural causes.

[Kropotkin]

Originally posted by Azazel
The No.1 reason that I don't like this decision is that it won't be carried out.

Yep, probably so. No point in making such a decision if you're not 100 % certain that you can actually do it in the end. Every time they try to give Arafat a hard time they just increase his popularity, without the possible positive effects of removing him.

Arafats democratic legitimacy is really a joke but he's still elected by palestinians and is sort of a icon. Any attempt from the Israelis to get rid of him will give him increased (short time?) support. A palestinian might not really agree with Arafat, but I bet that he doesn't like Israeli attempts to get rid of him. If you don't actually remove him, you're just helping him.

[Az]

That's what I've been saying all along: We should hire and install some puppet government to overthrow him. The fact that they won't be democratically elected won't be a minus against them, plus, we can play pretend that we hate them, thus giving them extra bonus points in the palestinian street.

[Kropotkin]

If you get your will trough, we could expect a few interesting proclamation from the PA in the future:
"Those lousy, capitalist jews wanted to force on us all of the settlements and the entire city of Jerusalem. The PA will never accept such a proposal. We don't want the jewish settlements with their swimming pools and running water. As for Jerusalem; the most important city of the world with great potentional for tourism. No way, we hate tourists! It's the palestinian way!"

[Az]

That would raise a couple of eyebrows, sure. But if those will come out simultaneously with Qaddafi quotes, they won't sound so weird.

[Zevico]

I've walways wondered about Arafat's being democratically elected...who were the other candidates in that election? Anyone know of any?

[Kropotkin]

Only one thing is certain about that election, the banana was not allowed as a candidate. Apparently he was considered to be kosher.

[Az]

you've got your middle east all mixed up, Kropo.

[Kropotkin]

An all this time I thought it was the middle east that was mixed -and messed- up...

[Az]

one doesn't exclude the other.

[Kropotkin]

Fruit sallad!

[Az]

spam in a bun!