Army Deputy Commander Says Plan in Place to Expel Arafat [ArutzSheva]

[gp]

Army Deputy Commander Says Plan in Place to Expel Arafat
02:39 Sep 12, '03 / 15 Elul 5763

(IsraelNN.com) Speaking on Channel 1 TV on Thursday night, IDF Deputy Chief of Staff Major-General Gabi Ashkenazi stated the military is ready with a plan to remove Yasser Arafat from the Mukata and expel him. Ashkenazi added the situation has been ongoing for some time and a plan has been devised and rehearsed, and troops are ready for implementation upon command

Source: http://www.arutzsheva.com/news.php3?id=49631

[Darranar]

1. Oh, great!

This is the last thing we need.

There are a number of articles dealing with this in the I/P forum also, if anyone's interested.

[loudnclear]

7. What the hell gives Israel the right toexpel Arafat except brutal force

and US support? Arafat has been virtually under house arrest...how can they blames him for what is happening? They may as well blame him for Israeli bombings as well.

What I want to know is what will Isarel be able to use as their excuse for bombing, bulldozzing, and killing Palestinians once Arafat is eliminated? Who will they set up next as their icon of excuse? If Arafat is an obstacle to peace so is Sharon...why can't they both be expelled from the ME?

[StandWatie]

2. they never know what the hell they are talking about

I'll take this as confirmation that no such thing is going to happen.

[hang a left]

3. If this confirms they will do no such thing

Then what, pray tell, is the motivation for the threat.

[StandWatie]

4. The cabinet got overly mouthy

The orders came down from the US to shut their mouths and now they will, this will be down the memory hole in a few days.

[gp]

5. You know that unfortunately one of these days

Hamas or some other terrorist organisation is going to blow something up in Israel again...Sharon is waiting for this.
Within the hour, Arafat will be history.

As for US pressure on Israel. Read this statement :

The Bush administration has notified Israel it is opposed to the expulsion of Yasser Arafat even though "he is part of the problem and not part of the solution" in the tense standoff with the Palestinians.

"We think that it would not be helpful to expel him because it would just give him another stage to play on," spokesman Richard Boucher said as Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's government threatened to oust Arafat from the West Bank.

As a fellow DU'er pointed out, its whats not being said that is key here. It says do not expel him, but it doesnt say do not harm him.

They're basically giving Israel the green light to liquidate him.

[StandWatie]

6. I seriously doubt that

We need that right now like we need a crowbar upside the head.