A Peek into a Mind

Well, like this was a surprise. Abu-Mazen (Mahmoud Abbas), the Palestinian PM, had resigned few hours ago, as a result of intense pressures and attacks from Yassir Arafat and his supporters. This brings the end of his government and since both Israel and the US will not talk to Arafat it means the situation in the region is just going to get worse. I keep being amazed how the Palestinians keep shooting themselves in the foot every possible time. Arafat wants to continue terror operations (his own organization, the Fatah, is responsible to many attacks including the most recent ones), he keeps protecting wanted terrorists in his office, he keeps financing terror cells but mostly - he denies any Palestinian leader other then himself any control of security forces, which makes the PM unable to execute any internal reforms or fight militants.

Lately, Abu Mazen appointed a new executive to head an office being ran by an Arafat man. Currently this office is being used as a ‘laundry’ to transfer support money the Palestinians get into the hands of the Fatah organization. Abu Mazen appointed this guy to stop this activity, but armed Fatah militants surrounded the building after the appointment and prevented Abu Mazen’s executive from entering it.

Every way you look at it Arafat crippled any peace attempt - the ones he signed on personally and the ones signed by other Palestinian representatives.

Now, I accept the fact that Arafat is considered a national hero, and is an elected president. But if that is so, then the Palestinian people must be responsible for their choice of leader as well (just like ANY NATION in the world). Therefore, I see no other possibility other then the situation getting worse.

There had been many talks in Israel for many years already arguing Arafat should be deported. Some of the intelligence and security forces here, however, kept saying he could do much more damage in Europe then he can in his Mukataa (his compound). The US was also very strong against such an act the whole time. But seems things are changing. The US now supports the deportation of Arafat but wants to wait with it a little until it could be sure he will not be happily embraced in Europe (France being the most pain-in-the-ass about it, I’m sure).

After the resignation of Abu-Mazen, however, I believe we will start to hear some sane voices in Europe. Maybe it already begun.

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ABCNews, Ynet (hebrew), Ynet (arabic)