Arafat--to take out or not to take out??

[bakuda]

I myself am torn on the issue of whether to get rid of Arafat the rat or to leave him in charge of the palestinians and put the peace process back in his hands where it has been fumbling for so long. So I'm asking for your opinioins... should Arafat be replaced now or not...or would it open a pandora's box?

This is the dillema...Arafat will never make peace I am quite convinced... he fears his people and what they'd do to him if he made concessions on Jerusalem and other issues. So, he doesn't negociate. He can't. He can only try and fool us into believing that he is actually progressing in negociations. However, taking him out could change a situation of controlled, premeditated terrorism aimed at the israeli people to all out war, as there might not be anyone to controle the terrorists as Arafat has been doing. Arafat always turned the knob controling how large the trickle of terrorist actions there would be at any particular time. If Arafat is removed by the israelis, the palestinians might think that anyone that takes power after Arafat is not representing them, but rather is a puppet to the Israelis and they would not follow him unless it was clear he was 100% against the peace process, translating to 100% against the Israelis and 100% with the palestinians. For the Palestinians i think there is a kind of messed up mentality in which you are only trusted if you do not make any concessions. Therefore it is impossible to negociate and impossible for there to be peace. The palestinian people need someone that REPRESENTS them and is willing to negociate as well.... and yet.... have the palestinian populace accept the decisions. So what to do?

[Anti-Intifada]

Originally posted by bakuda
there might not be anyone to controle the terrorists as Arafat has been doing. Arafat always turned the knob controling how large the trickle of terrorist actions there would be at any particular time.

Arafat trained and paid for the terrorism.

What worse replacement can there be????

Already missiles are shot directly at Israeli towns and every day there are civilians bombed to death. Israelis can't even go out of their homes any longer.

Who cares of the Palestinians don't trust their next Jihad leader?

Let them slaughter him and choose another replacement till they get it right.

[ibrodsky]

Originally posted by Anti-Intifada


Arafat trained and paid for the terrorism.

What worse replacement can there be????

I don't see Arafat controlling the terrorists. I see him manipulating Western media.

The one good argument I have heard for not getting rid of Arafat was stated by Malcomb Hoenlein: we don't want a replacement who can articulate the Palestinian cause in Oxford English.

I've been thinking about this and have to disagree. Arafat doesn't speak Oxford English and yet he has duped the West. The real question is not how the leader of the Palestinians affects the West, but how he leads the Palestinians.

Two things to consider:

1. A leader worse than Arafat from Israel's perspective is unlikely. Even if someone from Hamas rose to the top... at least it would be clearer who we are dealing with.

2. Historically, Arab fighters tend to become very discouraged when their leader is eliminated. So I think getting rid of Arafat would be a big blow to the Palestinian cause. If it becomes obvious that the terrorists are running the show, I think decent people will allow Israel more leeway in going after them.

[NewsGuy]

Originally posted by ibrodsky
1. A leader worse than Arafat from Israel's perspective is unlikely. Even if someone from Hamas rose to the top... at least it would be clearer who we are dealing with.

2. Historically, Arab fighters tend to become very discouraged when their leader is eliminated. So I think getting rid of Arafat would be a big blow to the Palestinian cause. If it becomes obvious that the terrorists are running the show, I think decent people will allow Israel more leeway in going after them.

True.

Already there is a full-scale war of terrorism raging that has claimed the lives of hundreds of Israeli citizens and has robbed Israel of a normal existence. Every day Arafat's terror machine murders more and more innocent Israelis and the rest of Israel is too scared to go out in public or even drive from one city ot the next.

When looking back at Arafat's bloody 35 year reign of terror, slaughtering thousands of Arabs and Israelis, there really is no excuse to let him live.

If and when Arafat is eliminated, there will be a welcome period of chaos in the Palestinian areas, where hopefully there will be a bloody power struggle between the various Palestinian terrorist groups, hopefully leaving many fewer terrorists alive at the end.

No matter who seizes power, chances are that Israel and the world will be better served than having Arafat at the helm.

[ibrodsky]

Originally posted by NewsGuy

If and when Arafat is eliminated, there will be a welcome period of chaos in the Palestinian areas, where hopefully there will be a bloody power struggle between the various Palestinian terrorist groups, hopefully leaving many fewer terrorists alive at the end.

Yes, this would expose the true nature of the beast.

And I see that the "Arab Summit" has come apart at the seams. Arafat's video address was to be carried live, but that was blocked by the Lebanese. Why?

Anyway, half of the Arab leaders never showed up, and a good many of the people who showed up have walked out or left for other reasons. Hopefully, this is just the start of a period of new Arab devisiveness.

Maybe we'll be lucky, and some Arab group will eliminate Arafat.

[Gatorade]

I think the idea of keeping Arafat under house arrest is so someone will take his place and Israel might be better to choose who that might be, or at least they might have a little say.

Israel should not take out Arafat. They should let some other Palestinian fight for his place while getting his hands dirty since I don't see a peaceful transition to a new leader.

Rabin already gave Arafat a lot of power/respect around the world by negotiating with him in 93. Then when Arafat rejected the land for peace a year and a half ago, he gained more power/respect. By killing him, Israel will look pretty poorly around the world.

They are doing a wise to do what they are doing now. Israel is exposing the fact that Arafat doesn't really have that much power. Sooner or later someone will step up for the Palestinians and battle for his spot. A couple months ago there was some conflict with one of Arafats top guys. It is just a matter of time before a power hunger younger guy takes his spot. It better to let that happen. As much as people don't like it, public opinion around the world does matter.

[gev]

I think the absord situation is that Israel considering Arafat as having a major role in the Conflict and as a big influence, and so afraid to touch the Palestanian Autority. and the Arab world does not even spit in his direction:

- Arafat was publically humilated in the summit by the Lebanon goverment, he wasnt allowed to speak live, and the videoed speech was not broadcasted either.

- Arafat was not allowed to go to the summit by Israel, was there any protest about that in the Summit? no.

- Saudi peace offer has been decided without Arafat or any palestanian.

Arafat is irrelevant in the current situation.
He cant, and dont want to stop terror, I dont think he is sending the terrorists too. the elimination of Arafat will not solve anything, and will not make things worse, he is not a player anymore.

[L@mplighterM]

On March 27, 2002 Arafat wasn?t taking peace . I was reading an article on cnn.com to my son in the morning about his justification of cold-bloodied murder. Today March 28, 2002 he wants peace. What will it be tomorrow? All he?s doing right now is readying the world to accept his call for help.

He should take the route of Eichmann put him on trial, find him guilty (let his own words be the evidence) and execute him.

Arafat should atone for his crimes against his own people and humanity.

A new chapter will open in Israeli/Palestinian history and I don?t see how it could be much worse.

[watcher]

arafat is apparantly the leader of the terrorist groups as seen from the fact many attacks are from his movement or offshoots of his movement. If arafat is removed most likely another high ranking terrorist will take his place...

[ibrodsky]

I don't know how anyone could have ever imagined Arafat was anything but a terrorist. His "rehabilitation" was completely contrived by Western liberals and their radical chic fellow travelers.

Let's hope that some other Palestinians kill Arafat or that he commits suicide.

[L@mplighterM]

Let the Israelis rehabilitate him at the end of a robe.

[raven]

Lets be ready for all sorts of shenannigans from the Pals and the Anti Israel forces round the world. Lets make sure THEY dont kill Arafat and pin the actual deed or the responisbility for that on Israel. You all KNOW that this has been discussed in all sorts of venues.

[NewsGuy]

Originally posted by gev
- Arafat was publically humilated in the summit by the Lebanon goverment, he wasnt allowed to speak live, and the videoed speech was not broadcasted either.

Good point, gev.

One of the main messages, which many will now gloss over is that at the big, much-hyped Arab summit, half the leaders were no-shows.

This suggests huge divisions among the Arabs, as well as fear that they will be victims of a massive terror attack against the summit itelf, by their own Islamic terrorist borthers.

The humiliation of Arafat by the Lebanese rejecting his live broadcast is another good indication of this.

[L@mplighterM]

I hope that someone will post pictures of all the weapons that will be confiscated from Arafats compound.

Rocket propelled grenade launchers and explosives I’m certain other material will surface. As everyone should know by now these weapons are illegal for the Palestinians to possess. They are weapons that were used by Palestinians to kill Israelis.