Arafat fair game for assassination: Sharon

Toronto Star/ ASSOCIATED PRESS ^ | 4/5/04 | STEVE WEIZMAN

[NormsRevenge]

PA Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei has been hospitalized in Amman.

By JPOST.COM STAFF

Palestinian minister Nabil Shaath is expected to chair Monday's cabinet meeting following reports that PA Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei has been hospitalized in Amman.

Sources told the Jerusalem Post that Qurei, who has suffered three heart attacks in the past, complained of blurred eyesight, a situation aggravated after last week's cabinet meeting.

Meanwhile, former Palestinian minister Mohamed Dahlan warned that if the PA did not prepare for Israel's withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, the area would sink into anarchy.

In an interview last week, Dahlan called for a revamping of the Palestinian leadership and an end to corruption.

[Chunga]

This is the first time I remember an Israeli official being so forthright about the possibility of Arafat's assasination.

They issued the warning to scare the crap out of him. They want to force him to use whatever power he has to bring a halt to terrorism in Israel.

It sounds like a final warning. If it works it works and if it doesn't Israel better be prepared to kill him, or the homicide bombing rate will go off the charts.

[yonif]

Assasination, a political term, should not be used to describe what Israel plans on doing with Arafat. Israel is talking about killing or eliminating Arafat.

[YoSoy2]

Viva il Papa!

[The KG9 Kid]

"... They issued the warning to scare the crap out of him. They want to force him to use whatever power he has to bring a halt to terrorism in Israel."

I think just the opposite: They really just might kill Arafat this time.

This is a huge change in Israeli policy, but many ME watchers expected this end game move when Israel was surrounding Arafat's dilapidated hovel of a government office with IDF tanks last year on several occasions.

Actually, I think those actions -- and the assassination of Sheikh Yassin -- were the final warnings. Wasn't it there an AP story two weeks before Sheikh Yassin was wiped out that reported that Israel was finally going to go after the top men?

Now that Israel has the new wall up, they're making truly bold moves. With the upsurge of anti-Semitic/anti-Israel sentiment in much of the EU, what have they got to lose? The USA is the only friend that counts; What's the EU going to do? Boycott Israeli garbanzo beans again?

Arafat could be as dead as fried chicken at any time now, I expect. It could happen tomorrow, and Freepers will wonder why no-one started an Arafat 'Dead Pool' when Israeli intentions will appear to have been so obvious before Arafat's departure.

[Boundless]

> This is the first time I remember an Israeli official
> being so forthright about the possibility of Arafat's
> assasination.

This is a new peak in the rhetoric, but they've been
making bellicose noise for some time. Arafat was
removed from Protected Species status some time ago.
Today he was added to the Trophy Game Species list.

> They issued the warning to scare the crap out of him.
> They want to force him to use whatever power he has to
> bring a halt to terrorism in Israel.

That makes sense, in particular the reports surfacing
today of specific threats of some 60 planned attacks.

Assuming a terror blitz is in work, my bet is that
Arafat lacks the power to call off enough of those
attacks to save himself. Could get interesting if he
publically admits that.

> If it works it works and if it doesn't Israel better
> be prepared to kill him, or the homicide bombing rate
> will go off the charts.

If it works, it will work because the Israelis
established credibility with the Yassin affair.

And if it doesn't work, I've little doubt about their
preparations or resolve. Arafat may be about to win
a pieces prize. It would be fitting if the instrument
used contained some Nobel brand Dynamite.

[tubavil]

...to someone under the sway of "the uncontrollable madness of terrorism," said Cardinal Renato Martino, president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace.
=== === ===
Uh, Cardinal, terrorism is a *tactic*. Far from madness, it is extremely effective.

The [Evil] sway muslim terrorists are under is from the Evil One. How did you ever pass the Cardinal test?

[tubavil]

"I am the biggest Jew-killer since hitler!"

"Naturally, Israel allows me to live, and live in...Israel!"

"My recommendation to all genocidal, arab, muslim terrorists...Move To Israel...It's just da bomb."

[Caipirabob]

Oh boy...

[samtheman]

There are no plans to kill Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat "tomorrow,"

But certainly by the end of the week, I hope.

[PeaceCorpsGuy]

How do you say "Dead Man Walking" in Arabic?

[Piranha]

Still, "American and European security analysts agree that the Vatican could be a terrorist target," writes CWNews.com, a Catholic online service. They also agree that the danger of a terrorist attack will be particularly high on Easter Sunday.

The pope's opposition to the war in Iraq and against Israel's treatment of Palestinians may not matter to someone under the sway of "the uncontrollable madness of terrorism," said Cardinal Renato Martino, president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace.

You mean the Vatican still may be a target even though the Pope condemns Israel's treatment of Palestinians? Maybe it's time for the Pope to consider a fall-back position.

[Piranha]

Presidio9,

I notice that the Vatican (through Renato Martino) did not refer to the Vatican's pacifism, as you maintain, but rather to OPPOSITION to Israel vis a vis its treatment of Palestinian arabs -- with nary a word of condemnation of suicide bombings of innocent men, women and children in Israel who are celebrating Passover, preparing for weddings, riding buses, going to nightclubs, etc.

You have a beautiful theory, but the facts don't appear to be on your side unless you are prepared to deligitimize Martino as well.

[Redbob]

""Russia is consistently campaigning against the practice of out-of- court punishment, which goes against the norms of international law..."

So, are the Russians communicating this to the "Palestinians?"
The bombers, the terrorists, the thugs and street gangs?

[Squantos]

He'll die of old age first..........

[Darksheare]

"Arafat fair game for assassination.."

Finally!
Nail him already!

[DoughtyOne]

Hmmm, why do I get the feeling you're right?