IDF troops seize PA ministry near Arafat's Muqata

The Jerusalem Post ^ | 11 September 2003 | THE JERUSALEM POST STAFF

[anotherview]

Sep. 11, 2003
IDF troops seize PA ministry near Arafat's Muqata
By THE JERUSALEM POST STAFF

IDF troops took control of the Palestinian Authority Cultural Ministry in the West Bank city of Ramallah Thursday morning, Palestinian sources said.

The building, located just south of Yasser Arafat's Muqata compound, gives the soldiers a vantage point of the Muqata and sends a direct and clear message to Arafat that the IDF is present in the West Bank city.

Palestinian officials expressed concern over the takeover, saying that they expected the IDF to impose a total siege on Arafat.

The action came just hours before the security cabinet was set to meet to discuss the possibility of expelling Arafat.

Military sources confirmed that troops had taken positions in the city, saying that the move was made to send a signal and message to the Palestinian Authority and Yasser Arafat.

Sharon, arriving back in Israel earlier than planned from India following Tuesday's twin suicide bombings, plans to convene the security cabinet for urgent talks later in the day.

Hard-liners in Sharon's Cabinet have long clamored for expulsion of Arafat. Up to now Sharon has rebuffed the deportation calls, fearing international condemnation.

Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom, who supports the deportation of Arafat, told Army Radio Thursday that he believes that there is a majority within the cabinet supporting the move.

"The moment Arafat is out, someone else will sprout up after him and will control the security forces, the PA's funds," Shalom said. "The moment he isn't here, more moderate officials will be able to move in after him."

Arafat aide, Ahmed Abdel Rahman, said Thursday that the deportation of the Palestinian leader would set the region on the brink of an abyss.

Likud Minister Yisrael Katz said Thursday that Israel does not have to wait to receive America's authorization to expel the Palestinian leader.

"As far as I know, there is no Israeli commitment to the Americans not to take action," Katz said. "Israel is allowed, able and obligated to make its own decisions."

Former Prime Minister Shimon Peres, head of the moderate opposition Labor Party, warned that expelling Arafat would be a "historic mistake" that would "deepen the hostilities between the Palestinians and ourselves." He told CNN, "Arafat outside (his Ramallah office) will be more effective and more negative than he is today."

Margot Dudkevitch, Lamia Lahoud and Arieh O'Sullivan contributed to this report.

[anotherview]

Time to seize the Muqata next. Capture Arafat if the IDF can, kill him if they can't. If they capture him it is time to put him on trial and expose his direct complicity in terrorism and murder.

Killing him is not nearly as effective as totally humiliating him.

[finnman69]

Put Arafat in an Orange Jumpsuit and make him take the dish rag off his head.

Then do a perp walk and show him being pushed off a plane onto the accepting exile nation of Israel's choice.

[goldstategop]

My view is humiliate him first and then put a bullet in his head.

[Peach]

Hope they don't back off this time. Arafat must go - preferrably in a coffin.

[TopQuark]

Arafat must go - preferrably in a coffin.

The time has passed for that. His death will make him martyr --- even in European eyes.

[prairiebreeze]

Tempting Peach (the coffin) but I'm beginning to think he would be better off still alive but in exile under heavy guard. We don't want a martyr of the ugly toad.

Prairie

[goldstategop]

Incinerate him and spread his ashes over the Mediterranean like they did with Adolf Eichmann. Which seems a fitting end for such a vile creature.

[Ronin]

Shave him first. How the hell he has gone so many years without shaving or growing a beard I have never been able to understand.

[GalaxieFiveHundred]

Put Arafat in an Orange Jumpsuit and make him take the dish rag off his head.

And while they're at it, have 'em shave off that adolescent looking, failed attempt at a beard too.

[GalaxieFiveHundred]

Ya beat me by a nanosecond...

[Peach]

I know. I'd hate to see Arafat as a martyr, too. Just afraid if the jail him, world pressure will force the inexplicably forgiving Israelis into freeing the monster.

[Peach]

THen what do you think the solution is? If Israel just jails Arafat, world pressure will call for his release.

Not arguing with your point, just don't know what the solution should be.

[anotherview]

ping!

(I don't have the whole ping list, so I'm passing this to you :)

[TopQuark]

I do not claim to know the solution either. But, if you ask me, I would attack the propaganda machine: the TV station and the sheicks, after anther "Oh Allah, kill the Jews" sermon; the most venomous newspapers.

I would also seriously consider moving villages after an ultimatum: dismantle Hamas; another bombing --- 500 people go. The are not more "innocent bystanders" than the Germans during the Nazi regime: these Arabs harbor the terrorists, produce them, equip them, etc. That will give them an incentive to stand up to terrorists in their own midst: I don't care if you kill yourself, but don't make me a part of it; I will suffer from the Israeli reprisal. As of right now, there are no incentives at all and, in fact, there is hope that the terrorists will prevail in the end.

You may argue against this method of addressing the crux of the problem. But any punishment of Arafat is totally irrelevant to it.

[sheik yerbouty]

Stuff his head down a filthy toilet and drown him!

[Alouette]

Up to now Sharon has rebuffed the deportation calls, fearing international condemnation.

In for a penny, in for a pound.

[sheik yerbouty]

Eff the "Arab Street'. It is only filled with streetwalkers.

[sheik yerbouty]

Eff the "Arab Street'. It is only filled with streetwalkers.

[sheik yerbouty]

Eff the "Arab Street'. It is only filled with streetwalkers.