"You have to be accurately when you are speaking with General Yasser Arafat."
--General Yasser Arafat
Posted on 11/06/2002 3:16:39 PM PST by knighthawk
GAZA CITY: Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat defied on Wednesday a suggestion by Israel's new foreign minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, that the Jewish state might use the cover of a US war on Iraq to deport him. "No one can expel me from my homeland," Arafat told journalists in Ramallah after receiving a delegation from the Orthodox Christian patriarchate from nearby Jerusalem.
"They must remember that I am president Arafat," he was quoted by the official WAFA news agency as saying.
Before he was even sworn in as foreign minister, Netanyahu repeated on Tuesday his long-standing enmity for Arafat, saying he regretted Israel had not already expelled him in retaliation for Palestinian suicide attacks.
Netanyahu said a US strike on Iraq would provide an ideal opportunity to oust Arafat.
Such an operation would "enable us to get rid of Saddam Hussein and provide a good opportunity to get rid of Arafat", he said.
Netanyahu was the second right-wing hardliner that Prime Minister Ariel Sharon brought into a caretaker government following the defection last week of the centre-left Labour party and a subsequent decision to call snap elections.
Former chief of staff Shaul Mofaz was named as defense minister.
On the moribund peace process, Arafat said "peace should not be only for the Palestinians, it must be for this Holy Land, for the Middle East and for the entire world."
He repeated his often-made call on Arab countries and the entire world to show their solidarity with the Palestinian people in the "face of the Israeli military escalation."
Arafat also complained that Israel was "still withholding two billion dollars in our funds frozen 26 months ago" following the outbreak of the Palestinian uprising.
Separately, WAFA said Arafat spoke by telephone with Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher on the situation in the Palestinian territories and "measures to put an end to the Israeli aggression against our people."
First and only answer to that statement !
Cheers,
knews hound
Go for it, Bibi!
Oh, I don't know, King Hussein did a pretty good job of expelling him from that part of historical Palistine now known as Jordon. I'm sure that the King's son now wishes his father had executed him rather than expelling him.
Waddaya mean, President Arafat? It's GENERAL Arafat.
ARAFAT HANGS UP ON CNN'S AMANPOUR... INTERVIEW CUT SHORT, LEADER SCREAMS AT REPORTER ON AIR
Fri Mar 29 2002 17:08:24 ET
AMANPOUR: Secretary of State Colin Powell has spoken to you, I understand. He has also spoken publicly and called on you to rein in the violence. What do you make of that statement, and can you and will you rein in that violence?
ARAFAT: Are you asking me why am I under complete siege? You're a wonderful journalist. You have to respect your profession.
AMANPOUR: Mr. Arafat, I'm asking you simply a question.
ARAFAT: No, you have to be...
AMANPOUR: Are you able to rein in the violence?
ARAFAT: You have to be accurately when you are speaking with General Yasser Arafat. Be quiet!
AMANPOUR: Mr. Arafat, what did you make of Colin Powell's statement?
ARAFAT: You are covering with such questions these terrorist activities of the Israeli occupation and the Israeli crimes. Take care (ph) not to make these fatal mistakes.
AMANPOUR: Can I ask...
ARAFAT: Thank you. Bye-bye.
My preference would be for Bibi to shut the hell up! If you're going to do it, Beeb, then by all means do it. But in the meantime, babe, shut up!
"You have to be accurately when you are speaking with General Yasser Arafat."
--General Yasser Arafat
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