Naww... Yasser the Egyptian is still the same bloody little liar he's always been.
No speech will change that.
Posted on 06/25/2002 4:09:24 PM PDT by knighthawk
YASSER Arafat says he wasn't the man in question when US President George W. Bush called for a change in the Palestinian leadership.
Asked if Bush was referring to him, Arafat replied: "Definitely not."
He then went on to express support for Bush's blueprint for Middle East peace, which proposed a Palestinian state in three years.
Arafat, a survivor of decades of political turmoil, remains solidly entrenched as head of the Palestinian authority and gave no indication that he was willing to step aside.
Over the years, it has been US and Israeli leaders who have come and gone, with Arafat remaining the pre-eminent Palestinian figure.
Arafat, 72, emerged at the top shortly after the 1967 Mid-East War, when Lyndon Johnson was in the White House, and Levi Eshkol was Israel's prime minister.
Israeli troops encircled Arafat's headquarters this week for the third time this month, but that did not prevent the Palestinian leader from hosting French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin at the badly damaged compound.
Speaking afterward, Arafat sidestepped the criticism Bush directed at him and his government.
One reporter began his first question by saying Bush had spoken out against Arafat, but Arafat cut him off, asking: "Against me?"
The reporter then started another question, quoting Bush as saying the Palestinian leadership was corrupt.
"First of all, it must be clear that that is not correct," Arafat said. He said Bush "spoke about a Palestinian state and about elections, and we say that we are a democratic government".
Arafat was then asked directly if Bush was referring to him in speaking about a change of leadership.
"Definitely not," Arafat said.
In his speech, Bush said the Palestinians would have to change leaders, adopt a series of democratic reforms and halt terror attacks against Israel before there could be progress toward a Palestinian state.
"Peace requires a new and different Palestinian leadership so that a Palestinian state can be born," he said.
Bush urged the Palestinians to overhaul the Palestinian Authority, to rid it of corruption, create a legislature with real powers and establish an independent judiciary as part of a "working democracy".
Only then would the United States be prepared to recognise a "provisional state" for the Palestinians, and negotiations could begin with the Israelis on the most difficult issues.
Officially, the Palestinian leadership described Bush's ideas as a "serious effort to push the peace process forward". But Palestinian officials have been unanimous in rejecting his call for a change of leadership.
Middle East list
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But how can he be dumb?
He's a GENERAL!
I don't think anyone expects him to step aside.
Just hold still...so Sharon can draw a bead on the target that GWB painted on him.
He is not dumb. Bush didn't mention him by the name for a reason. And now Arafat is trying to put him on the spot.
Not entirely correct. I believe the truth is that he knows that his followers are the dumbest men on earth.
He could tell them that it's day when it's night, and they'd believe him. They would probably go out and try to destroy the big blanket that the Isrealis are using to hide the sun...
No. Just your garden variety delusional Muslim.
Naww... Yasser the Egyptian is still the same bloody little liar he's always been.
No speech will change that.
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