Getting rid of Arafat...
 

http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/meast/...ast/index.html

Looks like Israel finally plans to do what it should've done many years ago. Thoughts? Does anyone think this will help the situation?

This will not help the situation. I'd say that it's gonna make the situation even worse, but I'm not sure that is possible at this point.

After they get rif of Arafat, they can get rid of those pesky palastinians and help them selves to their land. And when the Palastionians fight back against this landswiping, they can cry that they are being attacked by terrorists and then claim more land for security purposes. Its a beautiful scheme.

Arafat is the closest thing that the palestinians have to a leader or a uniting force. Without him, more violence will ensue.

Arafat is responsible in part for a large part of the current mess.
He should be marginalized, and eventually pushed aside.

I'm not sure if removing him from Israel would serve any purpose. He probably isn't directly involved in directing the violence. His main responsibility is that he is standing aside, or even encouraging (on the sidelines) the terrorist violence that has derailed the palestinian peace process.

Not that Israel isn't at fault. Don't expect the Arabs to fight a civil war if you arn't willing to give the settlers the kick in the butt that they deserve.

oh about removing the old bastard. Won't serve a purpose. It'll just make more palestinians rally about him. Perhaps even the moderate ones. Evil Israelis forcibly kick the heroic arafat out of the holy land.........

Arafat is a terrorist, no one can deny it. But hey look at the bright side. There are hundreds of his supporters around his compound as we speak, so a few well placed bombs and presto, all the Palestinians who don't want this crap going on every day will be able to live in peace.

short term, its problematic. it may set off further intifada activity. but as long as arafat lives, he's going to oppose the peace process....and i don't think it's wise to wait for him to die. Castro's example, case in point.

Personally, i think that finishing the security fence, as close to the green line as possible is the best choice. separation from the PA territories will be the best choice isreal makes...

Whether you like it or not he is the democratically elected leader, and we should work with him to try and get a peaceful solution in the Middle East. If he is removed then Ariel Sharon and his government should be removed as well, after all they are just as bad, if not worse than Arafat.

Mojo_PeiPei, et. al.,

Please do not just post links to articles. Please post the body of the text as well.

Thanks.

How is Sharon or the Israeli government in anyway shape or form remotely close to the PA? Personally I think Israel should've ended his life when the rolled into Lebanon back in the 80's shit would've been about 10 times smoother for everyone. Also not only is Arafat a jerk off for what he perpetuates in Israel, but also the insanity he brought to places such as Jordan and Lebanon as a result of his selfish lust for power.

*Noted Lebell*

yeah, great idea. Destabilize an unstable volatile region even more.

How would you like it if a bunch of Europeans landed in Texas and said, "this is our country because the bible tells us so" and proceeded to take over.

They drove you off your land and started farming it and living on your land.

They margianlized you.

They stuck you in refugee camps.

They took away all your rights. They forced their culture on you. Since you had fuck all, you fight back with small arms fires, maybe throwing rocks at them. They respond with missiles, attack helicopters, and tanks.

They dam up your rivers so what land they do allow you to live on is parched under the texas sun. They quarantine you behind fences, they impose cerfews so that you can't work.

How would you like it.

Then when you fight back, you are labelled a terrorist!

You summed it up nicely James T Kirk. This whole problem is based on "god gave me this land, so screw you"

A few others have said this, but you convienently cover over the fact that Sharon is also a convicted, yet unpunished War Criminal. Why does he get the "get out of jail free" card?
This will be seen as just more arbitrary exertion of power for the Isrealis to demoralize and subjugate the Palestinians. [not to say that Israel is the whole problem, but this is an aspect of it.]

And now we have the Jerusalem Post calling for the death of Arafat. Is there any end to the madness?
http://worldnetdaily.com/news/printer-friendly.asp?ARTICLE_ID=34562

"The world will not help us; we must help ourselves. We must kill as many of the Hamas and Islamic Jihad leaders as possible, as quickly possible, while minimizing collateral damage, but not letting that damage stop us. And we must kill Yasser Arafat, because the world leaves us no alternative."

"Arafat's death at Israel's hands would not radicalize Arab opposition to Israel; just the opposite," the editorial said. "The current jihad against us is being fueled by the perception that Israel is blocked from taking decisive action to defend itself. Arafat's survival and power are a test of the proposition that it is possible to pursue a cause through terror and not have that cause rejected by the international community. Killing Arafat, more than any other act, would demonstrate that the tool of terror is unacceptable, even against Israel, even in the name of a Palestinian state. Arafat does not just stand for terror, he stands for the refusal to make peace with Israel under any circumstances and within any borders."