Israeli Troops Open Fire on Arafat's Private Office

Reuters | 3/29/02

[kattracks]

RAMALLAH, West Bank (Reuters) - Israeli troops opened fire Friday on the private offices of Palestinian President Yasser Arafat in the West Bank city of Ramallah, Palestinian officials said.

A Palestinian official said Arafat's life was in jeopardy.

Palestinians have been waging an uprising against occupation in the West Bank and Gaza Strip since September 2000. At least 1,107 Palestinians and 381 Israelis have been killed in tit-for-tat violence since the revolt began.

[Semper Paratus]

Level the whole compound. That'll 'isolate' him.

[Oldeconomybuyer]

Message to Arafat: Intifada yo' momma.

[AdvisorB]

While your at it, "isolate" the fanatical leaders of hamas, islamic jihad, and hezbollah as well. Let's get 'em all, including the foot soldiers.

[Catspaw]

Is Hannan Ashwari screaming into a cellphone, "We're under siege" yet? She did that a few weeks ago & I said, "you don't know what 'siege' is, honey." I bet she does now.

[MeekOneGOP]

http://www.reuters.co.il/news2000/N2STLD6M.HTM
World reacts with alarm to Mideast violence

World reacts with alarm to Mideast violence

    By Helen Popper 
    LONDON, March 29 (Reuters) - World leaders expressed alarm 
at the deteriorating situation in the Middle East on Friday, 
with Russia criticising Israel's measures to isolate Palestinian 
President Yasser Arafat. 
    Following a Palestinian suicide attack that killed 20 
Israelis, Israeli troops smashed their way into Arafat's West 
Bank compound, declaring him an enemy and triggering street gun 
battles. 
    "Moscow is extremely concerned about the alarming dynamics 
of developments in the region," Interfax news agency quoted a 
Russian Foreign Ministry official as saying. 
    Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov said Israel's announced 
intention to isolate Arafat "is not the way that could help find 
a political solution to the current situation", Interfax 
reported. 
    He called for action by the international community "to halt 
this crisis which threatens not only regional stability but 
could also spill over beyond the region". 
    The European Union reaffirmed that Arafat remained a 
legitimate authority and its interlocutor for peace, while 
French Foreign Minister Hubert Vedrine criticised Israel's 
"attempt to stifle Arafat". 
    EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana spoke by telephone to 
Arafat and Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres to press for a 
ceasefire and urge both sides to seize the opportunity offered 
by an Arab summit's endorsement of Saudi peace proposals. 
    "Arafat is our interlocutor, as EU leaders said at the 
Barcelona summit (on March 16). He remains our interlocutor and 
the legitimate authority," Solana's spokeswoman Cristina Gallach 
told Reuters. 
    She said the EU considered that Israel had a legitimate 
right to fight terrorism, but "military means are not going to 
solve the problem of terrorism". 
    Vedrine told Radio France Internationale the chances of 
peace were "very slight". 
    "I understand how the Israelis might feel faced with this 
terrifying pressure of attacks...but I don't think that massive 
repression and the attempt to stifle Arafat...can lead to a 
solution," he added. 
     
    SERIOUS CONCERN 
    China expressed "serious concern" and called for an 
immediate ceasefire on both sides. 
    The Foreign Ministry in Beijing called for "urgent action" 
by the international community to get both sides back to the 
negotiating table as soon as possible and said China was willing 
to work with the relevant sides. 
    "We strongly call on both the Israelis and Palestinians to 
exercise restraint to the greatest extent possible, immediately 
cease all violent activities and avoid heading towards total 
conflict," the ministry said in a statement. 
    The Russian official said Moscow was contemplating a range 
of measures to quell the violence including raising the issue at 
the U.N. Security Council and undertaking joint action with the 
United States, the United Nations and the European Union. 
    Moscow and Washington are the co-sponsors of the stalled 
Middle East peace process. 
    Andrei Vdovin, Russia's special envoy in the region, was due 
to fly from Beirut, where he was attending the Arab League 
summit, to the Syrian capital Damascus, the official said. He 
could go to Israel to meet U.S. envoy Anthony Zinni afterwards. 
    Speaking after another Palestinian suicide bombing in a 
Jerusalem supermarket on Friday, a U.S. embassy official said 
Zinni planned to continue talks to secure a truce in the 18 
months of bloodshed. 
    Turkey, which has backed Palestinian aspirations to 
statehood while maintaining close diplomatic and military ties 
with Israel, said it was "deeply wounded" by the new violence. 
    "We call on both sides to take a rational path. Particularly 
Israel, in order to display rational, forward-looking and 
constructive stances, needs to review many concepts and views it 
holds," Turkish state minister and government spokesman, Sukru 
Sina Gurel was quoted as saying by state news agency Anatolian. 
 
 
29 MAR 2002 12:41:39
World reacts with alarm to Mideast violence

© 1999 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon.

---

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[MeekOneGOP]

Hi, Mom!
No, no! Everything's just fine!

[Cachelot]

I bet she does now.

Perhaps our friend Stealthy does too. Hey Stealthy, where are you? Oh, and I'll just take this opportunity to shine some more light on you. Nothing like light when dealing with the forces of darkness. Here ya go:

To: veronica; Sjackson

PS - I don't 'lie'. If I get something wrong that is one thing. But I do not lie. I leave that to the anti-Israel wingnuts.

Well just so everyone knows that when you say, for example Sharon sued and won, you are not lying, you are just choosing to ignore the fact that he lost and the American people paid for his lawsuit (through reduced tax revenues... as the Jewish law firm did the whole thing pro-bono. Not to be left out, the Jewish Embassy gave witnesses called by Time, temporary diplomatic immunity, so they would not have to testify. Maybe that is how he won, in your mind?

I think we are going to have to fight fire with fire... You and your Israel First WingNuts...

57 posted on 1/3/02 4:38 PM Pacific by Stealthy

To: Sabramerican

Try to follow.

I've been reading your basic law facts and have been ignoring them because, this NYC Jewish Law Firm that represented Sharon pro-bono, probably new that too. It really irritates me that the Israeli Embassy issued temporary diplomatic status to witnesses called by Time. Doesn't it irritate you a little bit? Do you mind paying increased taxes because that Jewish Law Firm wrote the millions off against profits?

76 posted on 1/3/02 8:20 PM Pacific by Stealthy

To: DittoJed2

What you say may be true, I haven't heard it. But people the whole world around don't have to sit down to objectively see that Israel is knocking down Arab houses and building settlements on occupied land. It is just a sneaky, typically and uniquely Jewish thing to do. Where did you hear this destruction report?

27 posted on 1/21/02 11:26 AM Pacific by Stealthy

Oh, those terrible Jooos. They're mean to your boss.

[Alas Babylon!]

She said the EU considered that Israel had a legitimate right to fight terrorism, but "military means are not going to solve the problem of terrorism".

So what does she think of the USof A's actions since 9/11?

[bert]

Fox reported that Arafat is in a lower level enclosed office. It seems his personal office was shot up but he was moved for safety.

To be isolated, his telephone and communications with the Arab TV stations must be eliminated.

The focus is on Arafat, but an important fact is that his staff is apparently isolated within the very large building as well.

[MeekOneGOP]

The European Union reaffirmed that Arafat remained a legitimate authority and its interlocutor for peace, while French Foreign Minister Hubert Vedrine criticised Israel's "attempt to stifle Arafat".

EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana spoke by telephone to Arafat and Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres to press for a ceasefire and urge both sides to seize the opportunity offered by an Arab summit's endorsement of Saudi peace proposals.

"Arafat is our interlocutor, as EU leaders said at the Barcelona summit (on March 16). He remains our interlocutor and the legitimate authority," Solana's spokeswoman Cristina Gallach told Reuters.

She said the EU considered that Israel had a legitimate right to fight terrorism, but "military means are not going to solve the problem of terrorism".

Oh, yeah. Definitely. Israel should use the Clayton Williams theory. Just lay back and enjoy it! ! </ sarcasm>

[Feckless]

"At least 1,107 Palestinians and 381 Israelis have been killed"

The Israelis need to get the ratio up to about 1000 to 1, then even Arafat can do the math.........

[pt17]

We call on both sides to take a rational path.....Turkish state minister and government spokesman, Sukru Sina Gurel was quoted as saying

Reality Check: One side hasn't been rational and can be counted on to continue terrorism until dead.

[Lucius Cornelius Sulla]

Cristina Gallach . . said "military means are not going to solve the problem of terrorism".

This is clealy 180 degrees away from the US policy on this subject, vis-a-vis bin Laden and company. No surprises here.

[Oldeconomybuyer]

Israel forces blast building where Arafat located -AP Breaking News
HADEEL WAHDAN, Associated Press Writer
(03-29) 05:05 PST RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP) -- Yasser Arafat's office came under heavy Israeli tank fire Friday as part of a raid on the Palestinian leader's compound. Arafat's aides said he was in the building but unharmed. Arafa...

[Nix 2]

Pic is for you, but a message to all the idiots that come here to slam Israel for fighting back and hate it. They would prefer to see our mutilated bodies. It's time for Israel to roar.

Dear Israel haters,

ROFLMAOBT

You *people* make more misjudgments in a minute than Bush has in his entire life. The Lion of Judah is awake. Deal with it.
Mess up your plans a bit?

[MrB]

The only way to solve this is to win it. If an enemy has sworn your death or his, you had better make sure it's his that comes first.

[Catspaw]

Erakat is on CNN, going ballistic, blatting on about the "peace process." Yasser, BTW, just got off the phone with the King of Morrocco, no doubt inquiring about the price of real estate.

[Catspaw]

French Foreign Minister Hubert Vedrine criticised Israel's "attempt to stifle Arafat".

I think Vedrine used the wrong word. The word is "snuff," as in "Israel wants to snuff my kissing buddy, Yasser." Let's hope Israel succeeds in blasting Yasser out of his bunker.

[Catspaw]

Fox reported that Arafat is in a lower level enclosed office. It seems his personal office was shot up but he was moved for safety.

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Is that how the Pals describe a bunker? "A lower level enclosed office?" ROTFLMAO!