And then there are also the crazies amongst the Jews, Ariel Sharon included.
A stupid decision
At a special meeting held on Thursday, following the lethal suicide terror attacks at Tzrifin and Jerusalem, the government decided that Israel will act to remove Yasser Arafat. But this was approved as a decision of principle, and the government deferred the timing and the method of the
Palestinian Authority chairman's removal to a date that has yet to be determined. As could be expected, the decision instantly led to the strengthening of Arafat's status among
Palestinians, as well as in the international arena.
The decision seems so stupid that it raises suspicions about
the possibility of a concealed strategem. Perhaps it is a
cagey ploy whose aim is to bring back to center stage the
figure with whom no progress can be made in peace negotiations - in this way, the decision shatters all prospects for a process whose end would be concessions in the territories. It appears, however, that the truth is far more simple: once again, the government has failed to fathom a reality that any reasonable person readily grasps.
While it is true that Arafat, as U.S. President George Bush has put it, is a large part of the problem, not the solution, his removal (or a declaration about his expulsion) does not bring the sides closer to an agreement. For the majority of his people, Arafat symbolizes the
prolonged Palestinian struggle against Israel's conquest. The negotiation effort undertaken as a result of the 1991 Madrid conference, and the 22 months that have gone by since Israel's government declared that Arafat is "not
relevant," illustrate that even from his place of exile, whether it's Tunisia or the Ramallah compound, Arafat remains either a propelling force for, or an obstacle to, any negotiated settlement.
The decision to face the risks involved in Arafat's removal was justified by the contention that he is an "absolute obstacle barring any process of rapprochement and settlement between Israel and the Palestinians." Ministers and senior Israeli spokesmen do not blame the PA chairman only for the deaths of hundreds of Israeli civilians.
They say that Arafat also undermined the previous PA prime minister, Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen), and thwarted all attempts to crack down on terror. Many intelligence analysts concur that no Palestinian politician will last for
very long should he try to free himself from Arafat's shackles and carve out independent status.
Precisely because this view is correct, the way to deflect Arafat's pernicious influence is not to flex muscles, a la the Sharon government. Instead, the prudent course is to create leverage needed to expand the moderate Palestinian camp that is prepared to reach compromises with Israel. This dynamic will only come about if the government reexamines its whole policy approach toward the Palestinians
and offers them a viable proposal - a Palestinian state alongside the state of Israel.
The rhetorical decision about intentions to remove the PA chief has left Arafat in Ramallah with more sympathy, support and wherewithal than he has had in some time. Instead of putting the focus on the condemnation and
containment of terror, the decision has forced the U.S., the United Nations Security Council and states in the region to reprimand Israel. The government would be wise to rescind this foolish decision quickly.
haaretz.com |
