Sidelining Arafat strengthened him

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2 hours ago
Palestinian realities

JERUSALEM As is becoming increasingly clear, the Americans did themselves a great disfavor by ostracizing Yasser Arafat, because in doing so they bolstered his support among the Palestinians. Since the United States and Israel attacked him, people have been rallying around him.
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By trying to isolate Arafat, the Americans also mistakenly distanced themselves from a source of legitimate power and decision-making in Palestine. So now they have to get to Arafat indirectly, through intermediaries, whereas before they could influence him directly.
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The United States and Israel need to talk to Arafat in order to address any serious issue. There is no reason for their boycott of him. It is childish and manipulative. If the United States is serious about peace, it has to deal with Palestinian realities, not realities manufactured in someone's mind.

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http://www.iht.com/articles/108322.html

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Arafat Back in the Forefront

The seeming collapse of the peace road map has brought Yasser Arafat back to centre stage even though he was never quite outmanoeuvred by Israel and the United States.

RAMALLAH, Aug 30 (IPS) - The seeming collapse of the peace road map has brought Yasser Arafat back to centre stage even though he was never quite outmanoeuvred by Israel and the United States.

With the appointment of the old chief of preventive security on the West Bank Jibril Rajoub as his national security adviser, Arafat has staked his claim to be once again the sole power dominating the Palestinian political landscape. Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas, it appears now in political circles in Ramallah, will have to back down or back out.

”There is a conflict between Abu Mazen (as Abbas is popularly known) and Arafat,” says Kadura Fares, a young guard in the Fatah movement who pushed for the appointment of Abbas just a few months ago. ”In the end if it's a matter of one of them going, it will have to be Abbas.”

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Everyone has an interest in Abbas staying

The Palestinian PM has not got much good news to report on his first 100 days in office, writes Ed O'Loughlin.

On Monday Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas will report to the Palestinian Parliament on his Government's achievements in its first 100 days in office.

With the militant ceasefire up in smoke, the "road map" for peace in shreds and Israeli settlements, roads and fences creeping further into the occupied territories it should be a gloomy session.

Mr Abbas, whose job was created to make peace on the Palestinians' behalf, does not have much to crow about.

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http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/08/29/1062050668497.html