Israel Update for August 2009



Continued from page 2

Ghost Of Arafat

Israeli officials said they expected the PLO convention to feature the usual anti-Israel tirades that have always been part of such gatherings, despite the PLO's official commitment at the last parlay in 1988 to make peace with the Jewish State. However most did not anticipate that a resolution would be put forward blaming Israeli leaders for the November 2004 death of Yasser Arafat. The resolution, unanimously adopted by the Fatah delegates, said "Israel bears full responsibility" for the late PLO leader's death at the age of 74, without presenting any evidence of this incendiary claim. An "investigative committee" with "international participation" will be established to confirm this contention, added the resolution.

The Fatah action was sparked by a statement made in Jordan last month by the PLO's former "Foreign Minister" Farouk Kadoumi. He claimed Arafat had revealed to him that Ariel Sharon and other Israeli leaders were plotting with American intelligence agents to assassinate him, with the implied connivance of Abbas and other Fatah leaders. Doctors never revealed the exact cause of Arafat's death, but mentioned that he suffered from cirrhosis of the liver and a low blood platelet count, which some suspect was a byproduct of Aids. Later unsubstantiated reports claimed he had been poisoned to death.

Deputy Prime Minister Eli Yishai of Shas said the PLO resolution demonstrated that "there is a better chance for peace negotiations to succeed on Mars than in this region." Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon (tipped to replace Avigdor Lieberman as Foreign Minister if the Russian-born politician is indicted by the Israeli police over various alleged crimes said to have been committed in previous years, as is widely expected) said the PLO had "reverted to making extreme statements" which "raised suspicions that the Palestinians do not want a two state solution, but rather a one state solution."

A post convention meeting of the newly installed PLO Central Committee only added to Israeli government concerns that Fatah is not serious about making peace with Israel. PA President Abbas completely ruled out resuming negotiations unless Israel "halts all forms of settlement activity without exception in Jerusalem and the rest of the occupied territories." More than this, he strongly hinted that Fatah-sponsored terrorist activity might be resumed if peace talks fail, telling his top PLO comrades that "our Palestinian people have a right to engage in legitimate resistance to the occupation."

A post conference opinion survey jointly conducted by Hebrew University and a Palestinian group showed that most Israelis thought the PLO Fatah convention harmed the chances of peace in the region. It also revealed that only 12% now believe US President Obama is a true friend of Israel.

Whatever the nations say or do, the God of Israel will have the final say over His special Chosen People and their unique Promised Land: "I will rejoice over them to do them good, and will faithfully plant them in this land with all My heart and with all My soul" (Jeremiah 32:41). CR

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