Posted on 11/13/2004 6:52:17 PM PST by NCjim
MILITANTS who are convinced Israel poisoned Yasser Arafat have vowed revenge attacks on the Jewish state.
Suspicions of poisoning were also widespread at mosques and rallies, despite assurances to the contrary from Mr Arafat's successors, a reflection of the popular trust they lack and the rejection by many Palestinians of a soft line on Israel.
Calls for attacks also clouded hopes of a revival in Middle-East peacemaking now Mr Arafat has left the scene.
"We will respond to the assassination of the leader and symbol by striking the depth of the Israeli entity," said a statement from a newly named armed group, the Yasser Arafat Brigades, part of the ex-guerilla leader's Fatah faction. "We strongly warn anyone who would try to bargain over our cause."
Israeli Foreign Minister Nabil Shaath said French doctors, who treated Mr Arafat at the Paris hospital where he was declared dead on Friday, had categorically ruled out poisoning as a cause of death – though his illness is still a mystery.
But many Palestinians, including all the main armed factions, believe he was poisoned.
They accuse relative moderates who have taken Mr Arafat's powers of being afraid to offend Israel because they want to restart talks.
Islamic Jihad and the Hamas militant group, which are behind suicide bombings and shootings that have killed hundreds of Israelis during a four-year uprising, say Mr Arafat was murdered and have vowed revenge.
Such an action could quickly dampen optimism in the US and Europe that there is new hope for talks after the death of Mr Arafat, who the US had labelled an obstacle to peace.
Israel has said it sees a possible turning point in the Middle East, but only if the Palestinians manage to rein in the armed factions.
The cause of Mr Arafat's death is a mystery that could keep the rumour mill churning and fuel conspiracy theories for years.
Internet websites are spilling over with speculation that Mr Arafat had anything from stomach cancer or a rare blood disorder to AIDS – an idea ridiculed by Palestinian officials.
A top Hamas official, who was poisoned by Israeli agents but survived, accused Israel of poisoning Mr Arafat – a theory which his private doctor did not rule out despite being discounted by the Palestinian foreign minister.
Hopes of the riddle being solved are slim.
I still think it was the HIV.
His heart was poisened, his mind was poisened, his body might have well been.
This guy could have lived to be 148 years old and they would still blame the Jews for his death.
It is a common knowledge that the cause of his death is choking on his own inflated importance and self-esteem. What could poisoning have to do with it?
I heard somewhere it was Tilex poisoning, of course that seems unlikely since he was hardly ever seen near a shower or tub.
Hmmm, this sounds just like what some of the far left groups are saying about the recent election. Just replace "Islamic Jihad" with "moveon.org", and "Mr Arafat was murdered" with "Bush stole the election". It has the same ring to it, especially the part about revenge.
Note that this term may also be used to characterize anything that Arafat ever said during his much-too-long life. It's a two-fer.
Why did "they" wait so long to poison the rat. Should have happened years ago.
Maybe there was something in that bunny suit which they transported him in to Paris.
He was injected with poison up his caboose.
Arabs and conspiracies go together like islam and terrorism.
Poison death-rays from Space Jews, obviously.
I think he was poisoned with an injection of AIDS (ironically by one of his aides) ..... in the traditional method, of course.
I heard he choked on a Ham Sandwich...
Anally Injected Death Serum I bet!
BRING ON THE ATTACKS...So we can quickly put an end to this stupid momentum for a Pali terror state built up by the MSM and that Arab-ass-kissing stooge Tony Blair.
He probably would have lived that long if the Jews hadn't poisoned him.- Tom
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