Arafat

Member

Even though the reports are uneven, Arafat has slipped into a coma. I don't think he's long for this world.

The Movie Geek

You are likely correct. I'm curious to see what this will do to the future of the PLA.

Excelent

I won't miss him

Master of Prissface

Pyromaniac

Good riddance. Mother Nature doing what Israel failed to do.

Master of Prissface

I don't know how true this is, it was brought up at lunch yesterday, but speculation is that he has AIDS and that's why they "can't find out what's really wrong with him" Guess it really doesn't matter at this point.

Member

I have a very, very dear friend who was born in Kuwait, came to school in the United States and decided to pursue U.S. Cititzenship after he graduated from undergrad. His father lives on the West Bank, his brother went to school in Egypt and now lives in Jordan. His father has had his door broken down several times with Israeli soldiers holding guns pointing at him while they searched his house for 'terrorists' for awhile he had to leave the West Bank to go to Jordan to live with his son...he recently returned to the west bank.

I asked my friend about Arafat and this is his reply to me. I know it is long but please read it goes beyond the perspective that has been stated here so far and is informative to those willing to understand where Arafat was coming from...

------------------------------------------------------

This is a very interesting question and the answer is not as simple as
you agree or disagree (with Arafat). My views are also different from my dad, brother and the rest of the Palestinians.

First he is loved among most Palestinians because of his struggle to
create a statehood for his people. He suffered the isolation and people
related to his suffering and struggle. He also raised the Palestinian
struggle to the eyes of the world. Some of it was wrong and I believe
some it was through acts of terrorism. I don't agree with it, but most
people under the occupation and daily struggle to survive view that as
the only option they had to be recognized and bring their struggle to
the world attention.

Second, he was the only recognized authority figure the Palestinians
came to know and trust. His people viewed him as a hero that will not
give up the hope of "someday" creating a Palestinian state with
Jerusalem as its capital. He was also respected and loved by the
Palestinian people who fled the country after the Arab-Israeli war of
the 1948. He also fought and was determined that they will not be
forgotten and be able to be back to their country, which Israel strongly
opposes.

That said, in recent years I believe he really understood the importance
to create peace and join with Israel and the US for peace negotiations.
The problem I view it is he was under tremendous pressure from right
wing groups and other middle eastern countries primarily Saudi Arabia to
not give up an inch on the settlement issue of Jerusalem. In my opinion
his hand was tied to how much negotiation he can do and at this time his
mental and physical health started to go downhill. And as time moved-on
it became more difficult with the suicide bombings and the new
leadership in Israel. That made it almost impossible for him to win any
support from any group. As his health and power deteriorated, his
ability to lead and the pressures the US and Israel put to limit his
involvement in the peace process crippled him from accomplishing much of anything.

Most Palestinians still respect him and view him as a hero and a leader.
It was very difficult for any other person from the PLO to step up and
take the leadership away from Arafat.

I question how his illness started in the first place. But I am sure
there are many people want him to be removed so, they can take control
and revive the peace negotiation. As long as he is alive that will not
happen. Also remember that most key leaders in the Middle East are gone
like King Hussein - Jordan and Assad.

Sorry for rambling on and on. I am not sure I made much sense. But to
answer your question, I most certainly believe that most if not all
Palestinians view him as a hero and most people in the Middle East also
view him as a hero. He started to also get a lot of support from Europe
until Bush came into office and completely ignored the peace issues and
process in the Middle East, unlike what Clinton started. Bush followed
Israeli leadership to call him a terrorist and not negotiate with him
and since no one could easily step up to replace him (while he is alive)
the peace process simply died.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Member

Great to hear an insider's knowledgeable viewpoint. Thanks for sending that, Mega.

Member

Arafat's death is going to cause a huge power vaccuum in the PA. Sadly, in recent years the field has been taken over by various well-armed militant (and incraesingly fundamentalist ) factions--each with competeing visions and power struggles.

The current Intifada was as much about resistance to Arafat's PLO stalwarts who came back with him from Tunisia (and who got all of the plum PA posts) as much as it was about Israel.

They could never go against Arafat publicly, because of the reasons stated above, but they went after his people. Oddly, it caused him to be more militant of late. Fatah had to engage in violence against Israel and it's people or they would have lost face and prestige vis-a-vis Hamas and other groups.

It's a bad situation that's only going to get worse in the short-term with his demise.

Excelent

Goodbye

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3984841.stm

Adjunct

interesting to see what happens now.

Member

It is probable that Arafat died last week and they delayed announcement so that they could have enough time to transfer his billions ($$) to another account.

What do you say about a man who insanely rejection of the land-for-peace offer made by Barak at Camp David in the summer of 2000 that would have given the Palestinians 97% of what they wanted. I guess it is also probably fair to say that the breakdown was more complicated than it is sometimes portrayed

Oh well - Good night funny man - for the sake of the human race, I hope Israelis and Palestinians embrace the opportunity to change their relationship

Excelent

Member

Bye, bye. Now all of the European press can weep for his passing.

Does anyone think he looks like Ringo Starr? (I know this is off-topic).

Member

Arafat

LIFEFORM SOCIAL COMMUNITY NETWORK