JERUSALEM (AP) -- Israel has not adopted a formal decision to kill Yasser Arafat, Israel's foreign minister said Monday, in an apparent attempt to soften remarks by the vice premier who said that assassination was an option.Posted on 09/15/2003 5:04:15 AM PDT by putupon
JERUSALEM (AP) -- Israel has not adopted a formal decision to kill Yasser Arafat, Israel's foreign minister said Monday, in an apparent attempt to soften remarks by the vice premier who said that assassination was an option.
In the West Bank, meanwhile, Palestinian Prime Minister-designate Ahmed Qureia asked Arafat's ruling Fatah movement to choose candidates for up to 16 of 24 Cabinet posts - a decision that appears to grant Arafat significant control over the composition of the new Cabinet. One of the legislators said the Fatah list would be chosen in consultations with Arafat.
Also Monday, Israel's ambassador to the United Nations, Dan Gillerman, accused the Security Council of "hypocrisy" for considering a Palestinian resolution that demands Israel refrain from taking any action against Arafat. The council was to meet later in the day. Gillerman complained that the council has not convened to discuss Palestinian suicide bombings and shootings.
Last week, Israel's security Cabinet decided in principle to "remove" Arafat, but did not say what action would be taken, and when. On Sunday, Vice Premier Ehud Olmert said killing Arafat is a possibility, along with expulsion and isolation.
However, Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom appeared to play down Olmert's statement.
"It (killing Arafat) is not the official policy of the Israeli government. It was never before, and we don't speak about any killing, we didn't speak about it before, and we don't speak about it today," Shalom told reporters Monday.
The Israeli decision, which came in response to twin Hamas suicide bombings that killed 15 people last week, has revived Arafat's flagging popularity and reaffirmed his status as undisputed leader and national symbol.
Thousands of Palestinians have taken to the streets in daily protests since last week. However, the initial spontaneity has worn off, and on Monday, school children were sent into the streets in several West Bank towns to demonstrate support for Arafat.
At Arafat's headquarters in the town of Ramallah, about 200 scouts beating drums and waving Arafat posters gathered in the courtyard. The Palestinian leader briefly appeared at the sandbagged entrance, smiled and flashed victory signs.
Activists from Arafat's Fatah movement pitched six more tents in the compound, saying they would serve as human shields to protect Arafat from a possible Israeli raid. One tent was erected over the weekend.
Also Monday, Fatah legislators met to come up with candidates for Cabinet posts. The outgoing prime minister, Mahmoud Abbas, widely known as Abu Mazen, had come under constant criticism from Fatah, in part because the party felt it was not sufficiently represented in his Cabinet.
"Fatah institutions will choose the members of the government, in consultation with President Arafat," said legislator Hani al-Hassan.
This appears to grant Arafat de facto control over the composition of the Cabinet.
In pressing for the appointment of a prime minister earlier this year, the United States and Israel hoped to sideline Arafat. However, Arafat has refused to relinquish any of his powers, and constant wrangling over authority contributed to Abbas' resignation earlier this month.
Qureia, known as Abu Ala, has told confidants he has not intention of challenging Arafat. It remained unclear whether Fatah would present Qureia with a pool of candidates from which he would fill 16 Cabinet posts, or whether he would simply accept a list of 16 names.
Shalom reiterated Monday that Qureia would be judged on his actions, but made it clear that he would have preferred Abbas to remain in power. Qureia "is not as good as Abu Mazen because he (Qureia) knows his power comes from Arafat," Shalom said.
Copyright 2003 Associated Press. All rights reserved.
"It (killing Arafat) is not the official policy of the Israeli government. It was never before, and we don't speak about any killing, we didn't speak about it before, and we don't speak about it today," Shalom told reporters Monday.
killing Israelis is the official policy of the Arafat government, but Israel won't kill him? Go figure
The civilized world is still contemplating the Arafat solution.
After all, don't want to spoil the surprise!
Must bump
EV
That scenario makes about as much sense as any I've seen!
Thirty years and how many lives?
Thanks for the link.
Dithering indeed.
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