Palestinian official calls for boycott of Powell

AFP | 6/30/02

[kattracks]

DOHA, June 30 (AFP) - A high-ranking Palestinian official called Sunday for a boycott of US Secretary State Colin Powell after the US diplomat said Washington has no intention of talking with embattled Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.

"I call on all Palestinian officials to boycott Colin Powell. I call on all Palestinians not to meet Powell," said Palestinian cabinet secretary Ahmed Abdul Rahman, in an interview with Qatar-based Arab satellite news channel al-Jazeera.

"I am against any Palestinians meeting with any American or Israeli officials as long as the Palestinian people are under siege, as long as the Palestinian people are under occupation, as long as president Yasser Arafat and the Palestinian leadership are under siege," Abdul Rahman said.

Speaking with Fox television earlier in the day, Powell noted that, while US officials still talk to "a variety of Palestinian leaders," they have had no conversations with Arafat since Bush delivered a speech last Monday that demanded Arafat's ouster.

"At the moment, we are not dealing with him," Powell said, adding that he does not expect Washington to deal with Arafat in the future, either, "because his leadership is flawed."

In his speech, Bush called for Arafat -- who has been accused of not doing enough to stop anti-Israeli violence -- to be replaced as a condition for US support for a Palestinian state.

[SunStar]

"I am against any Palestinians meeting with any American or Israeli officials as long as the Palestinian people are under siege, as long as the Palestinian people are under occupation, as long as president Yasser Arafat and the Palestinian leadership are under siege," Abdul Rahman said.

By the sounds of it, the Palestinians have directly answered a resouding "no way, jose" to Bush's speech a few days back.

[VOA]

Palestinian official calls for boycott of Powell

"The Palestinians never miss a chance to miss a chance."
---Abba Eban, Israeli Ambassador to the UN

The Palestinians must be listening to CNN and think that Americans are now "divided"
on the topic of terrorists now that more than six months have elapsed since 9-11.
"Clueless" is too weak a term for these guys.

[VOA]

By the sounds of it, the Palestinians have directly answered a resouding "no way, jose"
to Bush's speech a few days back.

Beautiful!
Dubya gave them a chance to take the right steps.
Now we know they won't.

They have done us a better favor than Osama.
We know where they stand and we didn't have to lose the WTC Towers and part of the
Pentagon to figure out their position.

[demkicker]

"The Palestinians never miss a chance to miss a chance."

Now that's funny!

[Sabertooth]

I'm looking for a downside...

What do the "palsetinians" produce besides human homicide-bombers?

[SMEDLEYBUTLER]

I call on all "Palestinians" to return all the American taxpayers money given to them.

[VOA]

Now that's funny!

Yes, but it's was "serious like a heart attack" to someone like Eban.
He was educated in England (Cambridge or Oxford, I forget) and took some rare
academic honor for his performance there.

He did utter a "funny" and a deadly serious truism with this pronouncement.

[VOA]

I call on all "Palestinians" to return all the American taxpayers money given to them.

And (although I've only heard of this) the 20,000 M-16s Clinton gave to the Palestinian
police forces and all the ones the Palestinians have stolen/bought from Israelis.

[balrog666]

I call on all "Palestinians" to return all the American taxpayers money given to them

I have a better idea. Let's send them all that rotting powdered milk we pay 20 million a year to store. Deduct it from the foreign aid/extortion money we send them.

[per loin]

I'm in favor of this boycott, but it should be extended to include all Muslims. None of them should speak to any of us. Instead, they should all (including those now living in the west) go out into the desert, and sit there, pouting. Within a few generations, we might notice that they were gone.

[Batrachian]

"In his speech, Bush called for Arafat -- who has been accused of not doing enough to stop anti-Israeli violence -- to be replaced as a condition for US support for a Palestinian state".

That's a strange way of putting it.

[ClancyJ]

Spin - spin - spin. The Palestinian leaders are doing all they can to stay in power. To go along with our requests - they lose power. Well - too bad. Appears they do not wish peace.

[tomahawk]

This means Colin Powell is a great Sec. of State.

[nevergore]

Nice new kitty picture Sabertooth.....

Q: Why are there no Arabs in the TV Show Star Trek?

A: Because it is supposed to take place in the future.....

Bwahahahahahaha.....

NeverGore :^)

[swheats]

Arafat has been given time after time an opportunity to negotiate, only to waste time and then back out before the agreement is signed. There is no more reason to continue that course of action.

I liked Powell's response that he should use his position and influence among his own people to make a change, because he no longer has any standing in the world. Today was the first time I've ever heard Powell speak so straight forward. Good for him if he will stand behind his words tomorrow and the days to come.

[Faraday]

"I call on all Palestinian officials to boycott Colin Powell. I call on all Palestinians not to meet Powell," said Palestinian cabinet secretary Ahmed Abdul Rahman

OMG, what's next? Will they cut off their foreign aid to America? I'm sure Secretary Powell's reaction to this news is "YESSSS!" He can only hold is breath for so long.

[TLBSHOW]

lol

[ex-snook]

Do you think they would meet with a trade rep? Membership in the WTO seems to have that magic. It's why we talk with China, right? Trade, it's what for dinner peace.

[another cricket]

I'm sure Secretary Powell's reaction to this news is "YESSSS!"

I think he should send them a nice thank you note.

a.cricket