U.S. stopped Israeli raid to seize Arafat

World Tribune ^ | September 15, 2003 | staff?

[Pan_Yans Wife]

The United States has prevented Israel's military from capturing the headquarters of Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat.

U.S. government sources said the Bush administration sent a harsh message to Israel to suspend plans to capture Arafat's headquarters in Ramallah over the weekend. The sources said the had military planned to raid the so-called Muqata'a on late Friday and capture Arafat.

Both Secretary of State Colin Powell and National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice telephoned Israeli and PA leaders and warned Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to suspend the military plans, Middle East Newsline reported.

The U.S. sources said the Bush administration was alarmed by the Israeli entry into Ramallah on Thursday. An Israeli military force captured a PA ministry about 300 meters from Arafat's headquarters and established a command post for the capture of the Muqata'a.

At that point, the sources said, the administration was informed by the CIA that Israel planned to imminently capture Arafat's headquarters and seize the PA chairman. They said Israel planned to exile Arafat to a distant Arab country.

"The United States does not support either the elimination or the exile of Mr. Arafat," Powell said. "It is not our position and the Israeli government knows this. There would be rage in the Arab world and the Muslim world. And I don't see this moving forward the roadmap."

Powell and Rice sent Israel a message, the sources said, that the United States regards any move to exile Arafat as harmful to Washington's interests in the Middle East, including the roadmap for a Palestinian state. At the same time, U.S. ambassador to Israel Daniel Kurtzer met Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz and warned of an international backlash to Arafat's exile.

The sources said the U.S. pressure worked and by Saturday Mofaz ordered the withdrawal of the Israeli military force from Ramallah. At the same time, Powell telephoned PA International Cooperation Minister Nabil Shaath and pledged that Washington will continue to ensure that Arafat is not harmed.

[Moose4]

Sigh.

}:-)4

[ConservativeMan55]

Damn!

[boris]

The Israelis should say, "WTF, let's just kill him."

--Boris

[DittoJed2]

"The United States does not support either the elimination or the exile of Mr. Arafat," Powell said. "It is not our position and the Israeli government knows this. There would be rage in the Arab world and the Muslim world. And I don't see this moving forward the roadmap."

1) It's their country. 2) He's a bloomin' terrorist. 3)Keeping him there isn't any help to the idiotic roadmap. What's more important, Powell? Israel's security or your precious ill-conceived roadmap. The Arabs are already raging and the Muslims hate Israel. Your roadmap, even if its idiotic goals could be achieved, would never bring peace. LET ISRAEL DO WHAT ISRAEL HAS TO DO!!!

[Kenton]

Oh well. The Israelis need to be pragmatic about how they handle this, and to remember in the future that's it's always easier to get forgiveness than permission...

[goodnesswins]

Hmmmm.....what would happen if they did IT anyway, and just asked forgiveness later.....what's going to happen? (Other than the whole Mideast Might Blow Up)

[JustAnAmerican]

You have to remember that POS Powell is the reason we did not finish Iraq under the First Bush(Which may have not only prevented 9/11 but got Bush senior reelected. Seems this Bush is also bowing to this idiot, and thus will also lose a lot of Conservative votes in 2004.

[DittoJed2]

Doubt he'll lose a lot of conservative votes. Americans learned from Clinton, I believe. Plus I think conservatives are just too complacent with him in office to leave over some sliver of a little country over in the Middle East.

[Diogenesis]

ISRAEL AFTER CONTINUOUS ISLAMIC TERROR

---

Who will protect the murderers for the third year after the 911 Atrocities?
Who will make certain innocents continue to die for the third year after the 911 Atrocities?
Who will protect the butchers of Jews, Christians and Americans for the third year after the 911 Atrocities?

Who? Who will protect the killers to murder again for the third year after the 911 Atrocities? Who?

Up in the sky. Is it a bird? Is it a plane?
Is it a locomotive?
No. It's Colin-The-Terrorist-Protector, his gaggle of State Dept.quisling Bush-hating Terroristophiles,
and their devious Saudi Masters who attacked the USA in the 911 Atrocities. [ /sarcasm we wish ]

---

The Karma resulting from the lust for the blood of Americans and American allies flowing through the streets
by PLOwell and his State Dept-Saudi Axis has again tonight
--into the 3rd year after the 911 Atrocities -- now fatally run over the Dogma
of President Bush who purports that this Administration sees two clear sides in the War for Enduring Freedom.

[Mr. Bird]

I like to fantasize about a global play mimicking the baptism scene in the Godfather. At one time, Arafat, the Iranian mullahs, Bin Laden, et.al. get taken out. It would leave the Islamists reeling. It would be glorious.

[E Rocc]

Oh well. The Israelis need to be pragmatic about how they handle this, and to remember in the future that's it's always easier to get forgiveness than permission...

That might have worked with Carter or Clinton. Not this President.

-Eric

[Pan_Yans Wife]

I think the pyrotechnics, after his capture, is the reason why Powell is urging caution, today.

If America is in the middle of WWIV today, will we be in the middle of the battle of Armaggedon, if Arafat is removed? I don't know the answer to that question.

But, I do believe that Israel has every right to protect its national security.

[Wphile]

I am really confused about our Israeli policy. We are not allowing them to fight terror the way we are fighting terror. Just think if some Palestinian bomber blew himself up on a bus in NYC. Do you think we would hesitate to kill Arafat? The duplicity is mind boggling and downright disgusting.

The road map is dead and it's high time the administration recognize that.

[blastdad51]

Why the Isrealis didn't send him on to his just rewards years ago is beyond me.

Let this be a lesson as to what you get when you deal with evil.

[leprechaun9]

Why doesn't Powell bring Arafat to Washington and set him up with an office in the State Daepartment where he would blend in perfectly?

Think of all the agreements with Arafat since the peanut farmer was President and ask yourself how many more years of negotiation will it take to fill the pockets of all the pimps of the process.

President Bush removed Saddam from power after only 12 years of negotiation, why was there such a rush, if we are willing to negotiate with Arafat for more than 30 years, maybe 50 years?

[goodnesswins]

Yup....what YOU said....something smells about this, and I'm wondering if it has to do with our STATE Department.

[LarryM]

Bush is about as big an appeaser as they come. How can we expect someone who is afraid of our enemies to defeat them in war?

[reagan_fanatic]

If this would have been Osama, you can bet your @ss the U.S. would have nabbed him.

Let Israel deal with its own terrorists the way THEY want to.

[goodnesswins]

LOL....I keep expecting to hear that Arafart has Died of Natural Causes....how old is the terrorist?