Israeli cabinet votes to expel Arafat
Israel took a giant step towards expelling Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, but then delayed carrying out its decision, in the wake of stiff opposition from the United States.
Reacting to two suicide bombings by Palestinian militants that killed 15 Israelis, Israel’s security Cabinet yesterday declared Arafat “a complete obstacle” to peace, blaming him for the violence, and adding: “Israel will work to remove this obstacle in the manner, at the time, and in the ways that will be decided on separately.”
The wording left open the options of deporting Arafat, capturing him or killing him. A senior Israeli official said the declaration was intentionally vague, designed to frighten Arafat and his backers.
However, the Haaretz daily newspaper reported that when defence minister Shaul Mofaz talked of killing Arafat, Sharon asked him not to use that language.
The immediate effect was an outpouring of Palestinian support for the embattled leader, trapped in his battered office in the West Bank town of Ramallah for more than a year.
Arafat declared that no one would “kick me out” of the West Bank, Palestinian officials warned that an expulsion would wreck all chances for peace, and the United States publicly opposed deporting Arafat, although the Bush administration, like Israel, has declared a boycott on Arafat, saying he is tainted by terror.
Pro-Arafat demonstrations erupted all over the West Bank and Gaza. Thousands gathered in Gaza City, firing rifles into the air as loudspeakers relayed comments by Arafat. Marchers carried Arafat posters and flags, chanting: ”Sharon, listen well, we will send you to hell.”
About five thousand demonstrated in Nablus, the largest city in the West Bank.
Arafat’s isolation and the escalating conflict with the Israelis have alternately bolstered and eroded Arafat’s support. The Tuesday suicide bomb attacks, claimed by the violent Islamic Hamas group, came amid Israeli strikes at Hamas leaders that gained sympathy among Palestinians for the militants, who oppose Israel’s existence.
Israel says Arafat is at least indirectly responsible for nearly three years of Palestinian attacks, as he controls tens of thousands of armed Palestinian police and security agents, but has not disarmed or neutralised the militant groups.
Defying the Israeli decision, Arafat appeared at the entrance to his sandbagged Ramallah office, carried aloft by bodyguards, smiling broadly and flashing “V for victory” signs at thousands of backers who rushed to his West Bank headquarters to protect him from what they feared would be an immediate Israeli move to seize him. “The leader is Abu Ammar,” the crowd chanted, referring to Arafat by his nom de guerre.
Using a bullhorn, Arafat recited a passage from the Koran about being steadfast in the face of an oppressor. He also said: “We are on sacred land, and we will protect our holy Christian and Muslim places. We send a message to the detainees, and to the prisoners, together all the way to Jerusalem.”
He then led the crowd in a chant, waving his finger in rhythm: “To Jerusalem, to Jerusalem, to Jerusalem.” Both Israelis and Palestinians claim the city as their capital.
As the three-hour Israeli security Cabinet session was in progress, Arafat told reporters: “This is my homeland. No one can kick me out.”
The Israeli decision came as Palestinian premier-designate Ahmed Qureia was putting together a Cabinet. Arafat picked Qureia to replace Mahmoud Abbas, who resigned Saturday. Qureia said expelling Arafat “will eliminate any possibility for me to form a Palestinian government”.
“We call upon all wise people in the world to stop this crazy decision,” he said.
US Ambassador Daniel Kurtzer was meeting Israeli defence minister Shaul Mofaz today. Mofaz is reported to be pushing for Arafat’s expulsion. Israel Radio reported that Kurtzer would relay stiff US opposition.
State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said: “We think that it would not be helpful to expel (Arafat) because it would just give him another stage to play on.”
Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat, who is close to Arafat, warned that deporting the veteran leader would destroy moderates and empower extremists.
“If this decision is carried out, I don’t know when the next Palestinian would even be able to say the word ‘peace’,” Erekat said.
The Israeli decision means Sharon and Mofaz could decide on expelling Arafat without reconvening the Cabinet.
Security officials said the army had begun preparations for Arafat’s quick ousting. Israeli media reported several months ago that under an army’s contingency plan, Arafat would be flown out of Ramallah by helicopter, and that Israeli commandos had scouted locations for a drop-off.
Israeli troops yesterday set up positions on two tall buildings overlooking Arafat’s headquarters, and F-16 warplanes repeatedly flew overhead.
However, experts said it would be nearly impossible to capture Arafat alive. Noting that he has said repeatedly that he expected to be a “martyr”, the term Palestinians use for those killed in the conflict with Israel, Shalom Merari, a former adviser on Palestinian affairs for the Israeli defence ministry, said Arafat might resist or even kill himself rather than allow Israeli soldiers to take him.
“Israel must think six steps ahead instead of just one,” advised Merari in an interview on Israel Radio.
A six-week unilateral Palestinian ceasefire collapsed last month with renewed Palestinian suicide bombings and Israeli strikes against Hamas leaders. Now, Israel formally rejects the idea of a truce.
“Terror will be stopped only after the terror organisations have been dismantled and liquidated,” read the Cabinet statement, which said the military had been instructed to “take all necessary steps against the leaders, commanders and those who carry out the attacks”.
