Arafat's Choice As PM Angers Israel By Refusing To Crack Down On Hamas

Independent (UK) ^ | 9-9-2003 | Eric Silver/Said Ghazali

[blam]

Arafat's choice as PM angers Israel by refusing to crack down on Hamas

By Eric Silver in Jerusalem and Said Ghazali in the West Bank
09 September 2003

Peace looked as remote as ever yesterday as Ahmed Qureia, the Palestinian Prime Minister designate, appeared to be on a collision course with Israel, even before he began putting together his cabinet.

Mr Qureia, popularly known as Abu Ala, has specified from the start that he will not crack down on Hamas and other armed groups, and that he will avoid confrontation with Yasser Arafat, whose refusal to yield control of key security services prompted Abu Mazen to resign on Saturday.

Mr Qureia would pursue the same softly-softly approach to the militants as his predecessor, a well-placed senior Palestinian official told The Independent. "He will ask the factions to accept a ceasefire. He will try to achieve a strategic national understanding with them."

Mr Qureia sets great store by his rapport with Mr Arafat, despite the fact that Israel and the United States have ostracised the beleaguered President.

"Abu Ala will not accept a power struggle," the official said. "He will consult with [Mr] Arafat on every step and on a daily basis."

Jonathan Peled, a Foreign Ministry spokesman, said: "If Abu Ala is not going to learn in any constructive way from Abu Mazen's mistakes, we're going to be at a dead end very soon. There's a limit to how much the Palestinians can postpone fulfilling their obligations to dismantle the terrorist infrastructure, to confront Hamas and Islamic Jihad and to rein in the various terror groups."

Mr Qureia deepened Israeli fears by canvassing another of the veteran leader's loyalists, General Nasser Yousef, to serve in the pivotal role as Interior Minister.

Mr Qureia called for US and European support. He also demanded a commitment from Israel to curb military operations and stop isolating Mr Arafat.

A spokeswoman for Javier Solana, the European Union's foreign policy chief, said Mr Qureia was highly respected in Europe and would get support.

The 66-year-old former Speaker of the Palestinian parliament he faces difficulties. Dr Khaled Qureia, his brother, said: "I ask Allah to help him. It is a very, very heavy load. It is heavier than a human being could bear. I do not expect miracles from him. I live with him in the same house. He has been coming home late every evening, tired, exhausted and upset. He was arguing until the last moment that Abu Mazen should take this job again and form a new government. He may succeed and he may fail. If Israel wants him to fail, he will fail, even if he were the Prophet Mohammed."

[kylaka]

I think the time for expelling Arafat from the planet is growing near.

[river rat]

Expel hell,

KILL HIM. Now!

Semper Fi

[tomahawk]

Arafat's protector, George W. Bush, won't allow that.

[SouthernFreebird]

Well if we're voting, I go with exterminate him now!

[ConservativeConvert]

The absurdity of this situation has entered the realm of the obscenely surreal. I expect Israel will have to sustain a mega-terror attack before there is a "paradigm shift" in the approach to this untenable state of affairs. Hopefully it won't be a WMD catastrophe.

[JerseyHighlander]

When is Colin Powell going to make a public statement that reflects the facts on the ground?

And to all who say Kill or Expel Arafat, I say build a 30 foot tall wall around his compound with remote control machine guns nests on top, and "maintain" him within for the remainder of his life. Better to keep full control of his actions then let the man eat cavier with Villipin and Schroeder, or make him a martyr.

[caisson71]

Let Israel kill Arafat. Let them handle those who would like to avenge his death. When all is said and done, sit down with the Israelies and whoever is left with the PLO and start over again.

[Joee]

Anyone that still believes Isreal will give away it's land for the word of the likes of the Arafat has got to be the original "wishful dreamer." The PLA has a harsh lesson to learn and they appear to be eager to experience it.

[Akira]

Agreed. Peace isn't coming any time soon, so just let him rot in his old age and don't make him a martyr. As soon as he's gone, let them name a successor (i.e. some Arafat Jr. who doesn't have the same clout and who refuses to stop the terrorism) and hit 'em hard.