Agreed, WFB is correct in saying that placing a bullet in Yassir's heart would not be a bad thing. However, doing same would still have the effect of
"intensified Palestinian hatred of Israel, estranged many Europeans and Americans, and fanned Islamic hostility" etc. Also, merely eliminating Yassir still leaves the terrorist infrastructure and bomb making apparatus in place, with plenty of aspiring "leaders" willing to take his place.
I would have preferred the elimination of Arafat as well as the course Sharon followed. Let's just say that WFB was half right.
Also, merely eliminating Yassir still leaves the terrorist infrastructure and bomb making apparatus in place, with plenty of aspiring "leaders" willing to take his place. After the year of internal fighting to take Arafat's place. You don't kill a snake by destroying its den, you destroy a snake by killing it. Israel has known the exact whereabouts of Arafat and his entire command structure for 30 years and have let it survive. That is no ones fault but every Israeli government since Golda Mier.