King Abdullah: Arafat losing control

Al-Bawaba (Amman) ^ | 21-06-2002, 17:00

[HAL9000]

Jordan's King Abdullah said in an interview published on Friday that Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat had substantially lost control of armed groups and warned that even worse violence lay ahead in the Middle East.

"What I can say is that over the years I always thought Arafat was capable of controlling Palestinian public sentiment and extremism," the king was quoted as saying in an interview with the Belgian weekly Le Vif/L'Express. "I think that is no longer the case today."

The Jordanian leader renewed his call on the United States to engage more vigorously in efforts to halt the escalation of violence between the Palestinians and Israelis.

"If there was peace between the Israelis and Palestinians we would run less risk of another September 11," he said. "This is what we are telling the Americans: you are asking us to fight against terrorism, but by failing to resolve this Israeli-Palestinian problem you tie our hands behind our backs."

King Abdullah said he believed Arafat's ability to control Hamas, the Islamic Jihad and even his Fatah faction had been severely curtailed. "The problem is that when there is such anger it is difficult to control anything," he said.

He said the United States had failed to understand the gravity of the crisis, believing that U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell's recent swing through the Middle East would be enough to calm the situation.

"I told the U.S. president in no uncertain terms that the anger has far from cooled," he said. "I stressed that if the confrontations between the Israeli army and the Palestinians dragged on the situation in the Middle East would deteriorate." "I explained to all countries with which we are friends that the worst was not behind us."

The Arab leader said the situation could improve if the two sides could be brought to the negotiating table this summer, but warned of another cycle of violence if a Palestinian state is not created in the next three or four years.

Meanwhile, an Israeli newspaper said Friday Arafat was prepared to accept a Mideast peace plan put forward by then-U.S. President Bill Clinton in December 2000.

In an interview at his Ramallah headquarters, Arafat told Haaretz that he would take the Clinton plan without changes. "I am prepared to accept it, absolutely," Haaretz quoted Arafat as saying.

Clinton presented the plan after a July summit meeting between Arafat and then-Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak broke down without an agreement. According to the plan, the Palestinians would set up a state in 95 percent of the West Bank and all of Gaza and would gain sovereignty over Arab quarters in Jerusalem and a hotly disputed holy site.

The plan also called on the Palestinians to drastically scale back their demand for all refugees and their descendants from the 1948-49 war that followed Israel's creation, about 4 million people, to have the right to return to their original homes.

Also, Arafat said he would be prepared for modifications in the line between Israel and the West Bank and exchanges of territory with Israel, principles the Palestinians have balked at up to now. (Albawaba.com)

[truth_session]

"Arafat is losing control..."

In other words, Arafat should not be held responsible for Jewish grandmothers in the market or elementary kids on the way to school getting blown away by his henchmen.

Somebody deserves a Nobel Prize here.

[goldstategop]

Arafat controls nothing not even his Fuhrerbunker. He lives in his own dream world.

[JZoback]

Arafat told Haaretz that he would take the Clinton plan without changes. "I am prepared to accept it, absolutely,"

Man, can that guy lie or what!!!

I find that very difficult to believe. I watched Barak on H&C last night and he said when he and Arafat meet, Arafat did not even want to talk about it, he walked away.

Arafat is still the same as he was back then, plus who says the Israel's will agree to that plan now that they have taken a stronger military position.

[goldstategop]

Arafart will adopt pretend moderation and state he agrees to previously rejected concessions in a bid to stave off Israeli retaliation. He's done this trick before when he got desperate.

[Tom Bombadil]

"I told the U.S. president in no uncertain terms that the anger has far from cooled,"

As if it were someone's fault besides their own. Not when children are brought up hating other children. The Palestinians want the Jordan and the Mediterranian as borders and have embraced the most evil means of achieving that end: Using their own children as bombs.

[walden]

"The Palestinians want the Jordan and the Mediterranian as borders and have embraced the most evil means of achieving that end: Using their own children as bombs."

A poll of Palestinians indicated, I believe, that close to half of them believe they are fighting for the complete destruction of the state of Israel and the extermination of the Jews. I think it's important to listen to what people say and believe them when they express their views. Many westerners are simply in denial about real Arab goals in this conflict.

It's important to point out that ALL Jews were evicted from the Arab world and absorbed by Israel decades ago. Notice that there are no enclaves of Jewish "refugees" in the Arab world? If the Arab states had absorbed the Palestinian refugees fifty years ago, we wouldn't have this conflict today. And, what sort of idiot wants to return to their "home" of fifty years ago? It amazes me that westerners continue to believe the official line despite mountains of evidence to the effect that it is simply a giant lie.

[Kermit]

Give the West Bank back to Jordan and Gaza back to the Egyptians, then there'll be responsible parties for the violence.

[sheik yerbouty]

He has seemed rather incontinent lately.