| Defeat Now! |
15 September 2003
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Saving Arafat by Threatening Him
Abba Ebban once said, and many others have since repeated, "the Palestinians never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity" -- and so it seems. However on the other side of the fence, the Israelis have a knack for snatching political defeat from the jaws of victory. In case of point, the Israeli cabinet's decision to "remove" Mr. Arafat from his fief. Nothing could have united Palestinian opinion quicker.
In defense of the Israeli decision, domestic opinion required some kind of response to the resignation of Mahmoud Abbas as Palestinian prime minister and the continued suicide bombings that has made going out for coffee a dangerous proposition. Nothing else has worked, so perhaps physically removing Mr. Arafat from his people might.
Friday after prayers, hundreds of Muslim Palestinians were out throwing rocks at the Jews praying at the Western Wall of the Old Temple in protest. Eventually, this will ratchet the violence up a bit, and it will give the rejectionists among the Palestinians more reason to hold firm.
The Israelis have erred in thinking that they could change the party with whom they were negotiating. No doubt Mr. Arafat is an infuriating fellow with whom to dicker, especially as one's own people are dying. But Israelis do not get to appoint Palestinian leaders, only Palestinians can do that. Any other leadership won't be able to deliver whatever is agreed.
The choice is either talk with Mr. Arafat or do not talk at all. If there was any chance of a new leader emerging, the Israeli cabinet slammed the door shut on him with their decision.
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