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Politics : Foreign Affairs Discussion Group -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: LindyBill who wrote (32096)	6/10/2002 11:29:46 PM
From: Nadine Carroll	Respond to of 281500

So much for reform: Israelis Conclude That Arafat Has Tightened Grip on Power By JAMES BENNET JERUSALEM, June 10 — Even as Israeli and American officials speak of edging Yasir Arafat aside, the Palestinian leader has tightened his hold on power, some of Israel's senior security officers have concluded. Mr. Arafat is strong enough that he is unlikely to be replaced by new leadership even if Israel banished him, a senior Israeli security official said today. Ariel Sharon, Israel's prime minister, has advocated that step. "Even if he's in exile, his influence from there would be strong enough to prevent any grass from growing up," the official said. He described other potential leaders as "scared to death" of standing up to Mr. Arafat. Paradoxically, Mr. Arafat's position appears to have been bolstered by Israel's recent military actions in the West Bank. Though he was weakened by the Israeli raids, potential replacements were weakened even more as their own reputations suffered and their internal alliances snapped. "Relatively, he became a little stronger," the official said. "He has such power that no other Palestinian even comes close to it." cont. at nytimes.com