Powell won't stop Arafat's 'suicide'
By Arieh O'Sullivan and Herb Keinon
JERUSALEM (December 19) - "If [Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser] Arafat wants to commit suicide, then we won't stand in his way," US Secretary of State Colin Powell was quoted as saying in a closed meeting with European officials two weeks ago.
According to a senior European official who participated in the meeting, a belligerent tone was also heard from American officials in Powell's entourage regarding future US policy in the war against terrorism in the Middle East.
The European officials said Pentagon officials who joined Powell's Europe tour last week were not overly concerned about taking military action - such as attacking Iraq - that could lead to the collapse of Arab participation in the anti-terror coalition.
"If it breaks up the coalition, so be it," the officials quoted the Americans as saying. "The Arabs understand the 'language of success.' "
The Europeans, on the other hand, were not happy with the American position, particularly regarding Arafat, and said they would not allow the Palestinian leader to "commit suicide." They also were extremely worried that an American attack against Saddam Hussein would not pass quietly in Arab nations.
"It could destabilize regimes that feel the Arab street. They [Arab leaders] could not sit on their hands," said European officials.
German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer said in a European-Israeli dialogue in Berlin last week that the rush to find an alternative to Arafat is a mistake because the alternative would be more radical.
"[The PA] is not a Western democracy. There is a strong risk that in the end you will have to deal with Hamas and Islamization, and not with more moderate leaders," Fischer said. "From our perspective, this debate is a very risky one. Arafat is a risk you know."
The German embassy in Tel Aviv, meanwhile, denied reports that Fischer had asked Powell to cut aid to Israel last week to pressure Israel to restrain itself in reacting militarily in the territories.
"This statement is absurd," embassy spokesman Reinhard Wiemer said. "Fischer did not ask for any reduction of American aid to Israel." A foreign ministry official also cast doubts on the veracity of the report, saying that it would be completely uncharacteristic of both Fischer and Germany.
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