Dave Eberhart, NewsMax.com
Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2001

In an interview on Israeli radio, A.M. Rosenthal, the Pulitzer Prize-winning former executive editor and columnist for the New York Times predicted this weekend’s bombings in Israel "will be the end for Yasser Arafat.” Rosenthal opined that if a violent retaliatory military move by Israel that "hit every target” were launched, it might finally awaken the silent moderate Palestinians.

Removing Arafat is not a new concept in the Israeli media, the parliament or the army. Even the specific methodology of his forced departure is often discussed. One such scenario has the Israeli air force intercepting his helicopter and forcing him into exile. Others include a devastating economic siege or even a massive military strike.

After an abbreviated White House meeting Sunday between President Bush and Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, Bush conceded that Israel was free to react as it would to the recent bloody attacks.

In July the Guardian News Service reported that Sharon was in favor of an ouster if there was a further Palestinian "outrage” against Israel. The terror murders of 28 Israelis over the last few days may qualify as such an outrage.

Also in July, the Hebrew daily newspaper Ma’ariv reported that Sharon favored removing Arafat, and cited "confidants” of the prime minister saying the Palestinian leader was "more trouble than he was worth for Israel.” According to Ma’ariv, the confidants predicted that a military strike would be made in the event of another Palestinian outrage, and that Sharon had reached "the point of no return.”

But at the time, Sharon denied such reports. "We don’t involve ourselves in the question of who stands at the head of another authority,” he said, admitting only that Israel had a problem with Arafat’s pattern of behavior.

"We have to make Arafat fear for the continued existence of his regime,” Netanyahu said months ago. "We have to send him a message that we’re not the ones who are going to be hurt. He is.”

But others have argued that any attempt by Israel to oust the 71-year-old leader would be disastrous, predicting that Israel could draw world condemnation for exiling an elected leader. "It will be a harder war for Israel if Yasser Arafat is forced to leave Palestine,” said Palestinian parliament member Hussam Khader. "With anyone else, there will be no chance to stop it [the conflict].”

Arafat, 71, is a Nobel Peace Prize winner who was elected in 1996 in one of the Arab world’s few free elections. However, despite his surface credibility and standing, proponents of his ouster argue that he has released militants from jail who have gone on to organize bombing attacks against Israelis.

Martin S. Indyk, former U.S. ambassador to Israel (1995-97, 2000-01) has said there are more choices available to Israel other than physically removing Arafat or continuing efforts to protect him as the only viable negotiating partner.

"If Israel does decide that the chances for peace would be better without Arafat, it does not have to make any attack on him. A first step would be to stop supporting him by saying that he is the only alternative to violence and war. A second step could be a de-legitimization program.

"Israel could also use radio and TV to give Palestinians information Arafat keeps from them,” Indyk said. "In the Middle East, it is foolish to believe that in order to negotiate with someone you must refrain from personal criticism of him or from efforts to undermine him.”

Read more on this subject in related Hot Topics:

Israel

Middle East

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