(Palestinian President) Abbas to dismiss govt, declare emergency -source

[sabra]

Source: Reuters

Source: Reuters
RAMALLAH, West Bank, June 14 (Reuters) - President Mahmoud Abbas will shortly issue a decree dissolving the Palestinian government and declaring a state of emergency across the West Bank and Gaza

Read more: http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L14756282.htm

[Horse with no Name]

1. Help me here. I am not that versed on Palestinian affairs

What will happen next?

[sabra]

2. chaos :-(

[Horse with no Name]

3. Oh Good. Just what they need in that region.

:(

[rayofreason]

5. That has already happened.

But it does not mean that things can't get worse.

[ohio2007]

12. Oh, things will get worse.

Hamas won the civil war but..... for some reason, the world wants more stories about Paris Hilton. MSM decides whats important.
/sarc


Fatah fighters are dragged shirtless into the streets after surrendering in Gaza.
A witness, who identified himself only as Amjad, said men were killed as their wives and children watched.
"They are executing them one by one," Amjad said in a telephone interview, declining to give his full name for fear of reprisals. "They are carrying one of them on their shoulders, putting him on a sand dune, turning him around and shooting."

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D8POLAD02&show_article=1

The story link has already been rewritten. The uglier side has been omitted and the earlier pic has been taken down


GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) - Hamas fighters overran two of the rival Fatah movement's most important security command centers in the Gaza Strip on Thursday, and witnesses said the victors dragged vanquished gunmen into the street and shot them to death execution-style.

[rayofreason]

14. Unfortunately...

...this is just the run of the mill stuff.

When I say "worse" I mean a lot worse. Like torture executions on the street for "un-Islamic behavior". And that is where I expect things to go.

And I agree about Paris Hilton. Why is a spoiled, weathly, mentally unstable exhibitionist worth a moment of airtime? Maybe it is to allow people not to think about scences like the one you posted.

[youngdem]

10. A few things

First, the US will use it as an excuse to treat the entirety of the Palestinian people as terrorists, and will blindly support whatever draconian, over the top response Israel will have to the inevitable next bombing or rocket attack or what have you.

Israel will refuse to deal with the new, more militant Hamas government until Hamas recognizes Israel's right to exist, which will never happen since Hamas views Israel as an illegal occupier who has stolen their homeland....and the Palestinians will languish in a worse state as Israel will close crossings, limit travel, and refuse to release funds Israel collects for the Palestinians.

Attacks on the Israeli public will be quiet for a while, then will resume with force after some unrealistic demands by the immature political wing of Hamas.

All I can say is that the whole of the Middle East is lucky to have seen Shimon Peres elected president. He is a cooler head than some of the other guys they have milling around the Knesset.

Frankly, it was bound to happen sooner or later. Israel and the US have such an unfair situation imposed on the Palestinians, it was inevitable that the Palestinian people would eventually grow tired of stacked, one sided diplomacy and pick up a gun.

[AngryAmish]

22. Are the Palestinians children?

"Frankly, it was bound to happen sooner or later. Israel and the US have such an unfair situation imposed on the Palestinians, it was inevitable that the Palestinian people would eventually grow tired of stacked, one sided diplomacy and pick up a gun."

They are doing this to themselves. Hamas is popular. At some point people get what they want. They got Hamas. Cheers.

[ohio2007]

29. They think Gaza is the centre of the world -

article excerpt;

snip

..... Hamas won't behave responsibly. They will take revenge on people from Fatah, and then big families will want to take their revenge on them.

These people don't think of the day after. They don't understand international politics.

They think Gaza is the centre of the world -
-but they don't know it doesn't even appear on the map. They talk as if they are building an Islamic caliphate again.


snip




http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/talking_point/6752817.stm

ok...now then...what about those unpaid civil servants ?
execute them as spies ?

[youngdem]

34. How are they doing it to themselves?

Do you think that Fatah was bringing democracy, development and security and assurances about their future from the Americans and the Israeli's?

NO.

Palestine is occupied by Israelis because it was the most convenient thing to do at the end of WWII....NO thought was given to the plight of the Palestinians. They had NO say in what happened to them.

When policies are one-sided to the point that they are in the Palestinian/Israeli conflict, the loser becomes hopeless, fatalistic and violent. Indeed, increasing pressure on the Palestinians to reign in their 'freedom fighters' just weakened their government and led to what has happened.

Militants wouldn't be in power in ANY healthy country, but a country of desperate people with no options quickly becomes angry and fighting becomes the only option. What else do they have? Roll over and accept the theft of their country and accept the scrap of land that Israel doesn't want on which to put their ghetto? Please.

The ease with which we destroyed the Native Americans has warped American's expectations of how those we steal land from will react.

[hack89]

50. So the answer is to dissolve Israel

and give all the land to the Palestinians? Is Hama's claim to all of Israel legitimate? That being the case, do you expect the citizens of Israel to pack up and leave? Or do you expect them to live under Palestinian rule?

[Baclava]

36. They got more than they bargained for...

Should be interesting to see how Palestinians, who are mostly very westernized in their clothes and lifestyle, like living under Shia-type law.

[Norquist Nemesis]

4. Just watching LBN on MSNBC--Condi called Abbas

to let him know that the U.S. supports him. Hamas has been overtaking Fatah offices all day. He's ready to dissolve the government.

[ckramer]

23. Since Abass has become a tool of US, it's going to be dangerous

for him to stay in Palestine.

Hamas will kill him eventually I predict.

[superconnected]

6. Is there any reason we would go in to help?

Oh yeah, haliburton, bechtel, united defense etc. etc.

The only reason I wouldn't think bush would jump on "restoring" that country is because he's too preoccupied calculating the $'s for topling and "rebuilding" Iran.

Bushs only real complaint likely is he doesn't have enough soldiers. But, certianly the rw fear machine can kick in full force and make half of america believe we need a draft. They have to do it for Iran anyway.

Bush only has a year and a half left and I am sure he wants to clean us utterly out financially. I thought it would be Iran, but maybe the immediate reward(financial contracts) of invading palestine will make the friggen satanist happy while he sells his next big war(Iran). Plus Iran isn't a guarantee. He doesn't *know* congress will buy it.

I'll take a guess that Condie is in meetings selling Palestine invasion right now.

[The Stranger]

8. Better ask Olmert first. -- once he finishes dancing in the streets at the Palestinian woes.

[ohio2007]

13. Looks like Hamas is making anti "great Satan" claims

Terrorists claim CIA files seized


JERUSALEM – Terrorist groups, including Hamas and the Popular Resistance Committees, have seized large quantities of CIA security files stored at major compounds of militias associated with the U.S.-backed Fatah organization of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, terror leaders told WND today.

The terror leaders claimed the files contain, among other information, details of CIA networks in the Middle East

"The CIA files we seized, which include documents, CDs, taped conversations and videos, are more important than all the American weapons we obtained the last two days as we took over the traitor Fatah's positions," said Muhammad Abdel-El, spokesman for the Hamas-allied Popular Resistance Committees terror group.

snip
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/printer-friendly.asp?ARTICLE_ID=56174

hmmmm...

a rather biased article imo, referring to the "democratically elected" party of Hamas as "terrorists" eh ?

/sarc

[The Stranger]

28. Actually, it says nothing of the sort about "great Satan." Did you make that up?

[ohio2007]

30. You can't read between the lines?

Who does "the CIA" represent?
I say
Give it time to simmer and break the surface in a few weeks in their future press releases.

You see no relation in the article, between the lines, about the "zionists" are the lesser satan ?
Hamas has sworn to wipe them from the face of the earth. Or at least,refuse to recognize them as a nation.

read the whole link

[The Stranger]

33. No, I don't. In fact, it doesn't seem to be there at all.

They discover the CIA at work in foreign affairs -- probably not a surprise to most people -- and you're trying to connect this to a "refusal to recognize as a nation"?

That is some amazing stuff.

[ohio2007]

41. You see a refusal to recognize a nation in the article?

Which nation in the civil war do you back ?
evil or the greater of two evils.

I see neither is a nation as the west bank and gaza have just become separate states;

'Hamas out' as Fatah fighters storm parliament


http://www.metimes.com/storyview.php?StoryID=20070616-100302-6581r

storm Parliament?

Is that the same as a filibuster ?

[MidwestTransplant]

7. Another byproduct of Bush's ME policy.

[wordpix]

16. that's for sure, he likes US into Iraq when he should have been working on Israel-Arab peace

but that's not Cowboy Gorge's style.

[MidwestTransplant]

26. It's more than just that. The policy has radicalized a generation

like nothing else before it has.

[Drum]

9. A link to CNN's story on this:

http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/06/14/gaza/index.html

-posted 2:27pm EDT today

[ohio2007]

11. Hamas Overruns Rival Fatah's Key Posts

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) - Hamas fighters overran two of the rival Fatah movement's most important security command centers in the Gaza Strip on Thursday, and witnesses said the victors dragged vanquished gunmen into the street and shot them to death execution-style.

snip
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D8POLAD02&show_article=1

So, which group is going to get their own state ? Arafats defeated party or the Iranian supported victorious party ?

...and just what spoils do the victors get ?

[wordpix]

15. this is very bad, I really feel for people caught in the crossfire. What can we do?

It seems the whole ME is exploding

[InkAddict]

17. Well, we could IMPEACH our ineffective ruinous decider in chief

and his vice-squad, but we won't--cause Nancy said so! I guess she doesn't know any worthy people of diplomacy either? The days are numbered for *Co at the helm, but it's always one too many left and cornered wild corporatists who know the oil, carte blanc money, and blind LUV are decreasing more rapidly than planned, are especially dangerous animals.

[AngryAmish]

24. It always explodes

Best to just look away.

[ohio2007]

27. Best to look away ? LOL

Wonder if this is a long distance call ? and
Wonder who is on the other end ? check the phone bill( or is that illegal ? )




Life is good



the democratically elected party has removed the opposition in a most democratic fashion.


....nothing to see here, move on

[Scurrilous]

31. He's calling Condi...

"At Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' captured seaside office in Gaza City, a gunman sat down at the Fatah leader's desk, picked up the phone and pretended to be calling Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. "Hello, Rice?" the gunman said. "Here we are in Abu Mazen's office. Say hello to Abu Mazen for me."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-6712205,00.html

[maddezmom]

18. Hamas fighters, looters control Gaza, defy Abbas

By Nidal al-Mughrabi

GAZA, June 15 (Reuters) - Hamas Islamist fighters and looters ransacked the blood spattered Palestinian presidential compound in Gaza on Friday, rejoicing at the rout of their well-armed, secular rivals from the president's Fatah faction.

With Gaza effectively a new independent statelet under Hamas control, Israel and the United States were preparing to ease an embargo on the Palestinian Authority in order to channel funds to President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah-run West Bank administration.

Abbas, who decreed a state of emergency on Thursday, was expected to name an emergency government at his West Bank headquarters later on Friday, aides said.

Despite firing in the air by Hamas fighters, who paraded captured Fatah vehicles and seized weapons, civilians poured through what had been the last bastion of Western-backed forces in Gaza, hauling away fridges, satellite dishes, even doors.

more:http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L14929191.htm

[ohio2007]

21. sounds like Baghdad in 2003

"Mission Accomplished".

Maybe they can give us a few pointers in how to establish law and order over a newly liberated people.
Wil they still kill journalists and Red Cross workers or is that all behind them now?

[maddezmom]

19. U.S., Israel weigh easing sanctions to boost Abbas

JERUSALEM, June 15 (Reuters) - The United States and Israel are considering rapidly easing sanctions in the occupied West Bank to try to bolster an emergency government being formed by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Western and Israeli officials said on Friday.

A senior Israeli official said Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and U.S. President George W. Bush would discuss a series of "gestures" that could quickly be taken, including Israel's release to Abbas of a portion of the Palestinian Authority's tax revenues being withheld by Israel.

Western and Israeli officials said the goal would be to strengthen Abbas, his secular Fatah faction and other "moderates" in the West Bank, while isolating Hamas Islamists who seized control of the Gaza Strip in less than a week of fierce fighting.

Western donors led by the United States cut off direct financial aid to the Palestinian Authority in March 2006 after Hamas defeated Abbas's Fatah faction in parliamentary elections.

more:http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L15480472.htm

[ohio2007]

20. Maybe Israel should build bigger walls.

"The surge" has succeeded in the Gaza for Hamas......
Iran's idle threats that were under reported in the MSM are taking shape

[The Stranger]

35. Bet Israel is wishing now they still had Arafat to deal with.

But they undermined him and Fatah and their best chances for peace. Now look at what's happened. It only gets worse.

The occupation accomplishes only the hardening of its resistance.

But what is this about Iran? You think Iran has anything to do with this?

[ohio2007]

42. You want Israel to reoccupy the Gaza strip ?

http://news.yahoo.com/photo/070616/481/3ab48be3e33148e398e23395f6ed8a9c

phatt chance even though the Palestinians wish for a return of order.


They pulled out unilaterally,which pissed off Arafat btw and everybody said "At last, Israel does something right.! About time ! "

Well?

Was that not a case study into what progress the PA could get done given the desperately needed breathing room ?

They burned down the green houses that Bill Gates himself purchased as a gift of hope to a peaceful ME future .

lol
right, somebody should ask him to comment on his benovelent idea now

hey
The CIA/Israel will get blamed for a campaign of "divide and conquer" as blame can't possibly be assigned anywhere else .
Those people seem to have things well on their way without such outside influences don't you think?


oh on edit, since you were wondering about it;

Hamas secures more Iranian funding


http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/2A62C583-E1C7-454E-B0B3-16DB56E3C4FD.htm


...these things do not happen overnight. They take time to simmer on the back burner of the lesser visited MSM sources
Remember why the west refused to send the monthly welfare checks to Hamas ?

thats right

[The Stranger]

52. Again, that is horribly misleading.

First, the stranglehold on Gaza has all the markings of an occupation still. There is no flow of goods and persons to and from the area. In fact, there is no free flow of medical necessities to and from the area. So claiming that pulling troops to the perimeter is some kind of liberation is, once again, horribly misleading.

Second, provide a link for the Bill Gates comment.

Third, the very article you cite and the parts of it you conveniently omit illustrate, yet again, a horribly misleading omission. The Al Jazeera article states that the Iranians were turned to because of the blockade on the Palestinian government -- a blockade in place because the Palestinians themselves had elected Hamas elements of it.

"We still look forward to get support to break the political and economic sanctions," Khaled Meshaal said on Tuesday during a visit to Iran.

If they had simply dealt with the unity government they had purportedly supported, and allowed the people to have the fucking money to which they are entitled as offered from the West, they wouldn't be faced with the non-unity all-Hamas "government" they now have in Gaza.

The occupation accomplishes only the hardening of its resistance.

[IndianaGreen]

47. The "The United States and Israel are considering..." and there lies the heart of all the problems

The United States and Israel are considering...

They should be reading the book Co-Dependent No More and stop enabling one another.

[barb162]

55. What about the Arab League? Should they stay out of it too?

[IndianaGreen]

61. The Arab League only represents their own oligarchs, not their people

We love people like Mubarak because he wears Western dress, speaks good English, and visits American Presidents often. The Egyptian people don't love Mubarak. He is a petty tyrant, a corrupt ruler, a human rights abuser, a paid agent of the US, and a partner in CIA rendition. Egypt is not that much different from the other nations in the Arab League.

Pan-Arabism is as much an illusion as American freedom and democracy.

[barb162]

64. Few countries have more personal freedom that ours

at least from countries I have visited. Take a look at Asia, the Mideast, Africa, etc.

How do you explain that almost all world governments are throwing their support to Abbas? Mubarek is no saint, I agree. But they could be doing a lot worse in Egypt too...like Iran, where they are losing freedoms daily.

[muriel_volestrangler]

25. Abbas appoints new Palestinian PM

Former Finance Minister Salam Fayyad, an independent, has been asked to take over and form an emergency government.

The move comes amid political upheaval in Gaza, where Hamas has taken control after routing Fatah rivals.

But Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniya has said he will ignore Mr Abbas' decision to dismiss the government.

An uneasy calm has returned to the Gaza Strip after a week of fierce fighting between members of Mr Abbas' Fatah movement and Hamas, which has claimed at least 100 lives.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/6756079.stm

[Louie the XIV]

32. The Palestinians "elected' Hamas and now they have Hamas

I don't see what the problem is.

Oh wait, they didn't know Hamas was a bunch of gun-toting thugs incapable of properly running a country. Why I never.

[janx]

37. This is a horrible situation at present, but

it's not clear how it will turn out. I've been following this online for the past several days and cannot believe the violence. Hamas seems especially fond of throwing people off of buildings. If Fatah can get itself together, at least some of the Palestinians might finally have something like a real government, for the first time in my lifetime.

[ohio2007]

38. You haven't seen the latest as our MSM shelters the public

The reason it's not clear how it will all turn out is bc we are sheltered from the swift justice of jungle law going on in Gaza.
ie
I would post the beheading video and body desecration of a Fatah security officer ( Mogadishu anyone ? )captured by somebody's cell phone who was on scene and witnessed the historical event but......
... the video source isn't from an established acceptable , "for western consumption", source.
Besides,
most prefer to pretend it isn't happening and all will be better in two years.
why?
cuz those who live over there won't have reason to hate us anymore.....right ? lol

In the end, we will throw money at the problem and "the problem" will leave us alone for a time but this policy of money throwing over the past several decades gives results "experts" try to spin as a workable solution



how do they spin this pic ?
http://news.yahoo.com/photos/ss/events/wl/080601mideast/im:/070615/481/d2ec01da76464ceeb96f7ce8cec37af6
yep,
Ignore the subtle meanings and spin a positive slant.... from the end of a gun barrel

[janx]

39. Actually, I haven't watched any television in months and have

gotten what little information I've read from online sources--and very few visuals. The pic you posted above is almost funny in that the guy chose that particular pose.

[ohio2007]

40. a few more pics this time, Fatah

Here's to the new boss,
Hamas


same as the old boss;
see below

Abbas' security forces arrest Saleh Frehat, an Islamic court judge, affiliated with Hamas at his family house in the West Bank ...
http://news.yahoo.com/photos/ss/events/wl/080601mideast/im:/070616/photos_ts/2007_06_15t104231_450x312_us_palestinians;_ylt=ArMXs76zmdDGq3MFOtfNH1fmWMcF

No Sharia law in the West Bank....for now....
but, inshallah....soon

group linked to the Fatah Movement raid the the Ministry of Education building looking for emloyees appointed by Hamas ...
http://news.yahoo.com/photos/ss/events/wl/080601mideast/im:/070616/481/1c4552a05f324e0da2f430ae84e52024;_ylt=AnfTZpwCYLIStZQXLprYL47lWMcF
that'll learn em to stay out of the West Bank....for awhile....



A Fatah movement militant sets the offices of a Hamas-affiliated charity on fire ...
http://news.yahoo.com/photos/ss/events/wl/080601mideast/im:/070615/481/08ecc5ed04e34743ac747ea6cdd448de;_ylt=AhnssaOwXcUZ6uEyjFlvZBflWMcF

LMAO ! burning a "charity office"

on edit

can you tell the difference between Fatah and Hamas ?

http://www.metimes.com/storyview.php?StoryID=20070616-100302-6581r


hint:
its in the headgear ;)

[janx]

43. Green bandannas?

:shrug: ?

[ohio2007]

46. ding ding ding ! nt

[IndianaGreen]

44. Blowback for Yasser Arafat's assassination!

Perhaps we should have never agreed to allow the poisoning of Arafat to put our well-paid agent Abbas in charge.

Abbas is the Palestinian version of Iraq's Maliki, a puppet with no backing or backbone. Like Maliki, all Abbas cares about is the cash he gets from the US, and his fancy house in Kuwait.

[ohio2007]

45. Palestinians didn't vote FOR Hamas as much as they voted AGAINST Yasser's Fatah movement

when they voted for Hamas in a "throw the bums out" election.
When they got the chance, they chose an unknown evil over the known Fatah movement.

Yasser played the martyre role to the western media reports and flip flopped for local media consumption with his next sound bite interview.


Yasser's corrupt group of cronies stripped all they could from the Palestinians in Gaza and all the Palestinians got with Yasser in power was the same old song and dance from him until the day he died in France.

oh, he could dance the Gaza Strip alright ;)



http://www.globalpolicy.org/nations/launder/regions/2003/1109swiss.htm
btw
speaking of France
his wife is well taken care of and still living in France on a lavish pension that would get her rubbing shoulders in Paris Hiltons circles if she ever left Paris France. Her only contact with Palestinians may be a servant or two waiting on her but nobody seems to see the twisted irony of it all.

[Behind the Aegis]

48. Assassination?

Let me guess...poison candy? An AIDS infected prostitute? Poison gas balloons? Penis-shrinking ray? Seriously, is there an anti-Israeli meme/conspiracy theory you don't support?!

[INDIA]

53. How do you expect ANYONE to take you seriously?

HAHA.

On an unrelated note, this is basically the #1 leading international news story and this thread has gathered approx 50 posts in three days. Why? Because you can't blame the US for this debacle, which seems to be a favorite hobby on DU, blame the US no matter what.

This was a tough one, but through ...uh..."creative" thinking you managed to pin this one on the US since we "allowed" arafat to be assasinated, and this can obviously all be attributed to that. LOL!

[IndianaGreen]

62. Palestinians believe that Arafat was poisoned, as I do.

Nephew claims Arafat may have been poisoned
CHRISTOPHER CLAIRE

YASSER Arafat’s nephew last night said the lack of a diagnosis, despite extensive tests, into his uncle’s death last month raised suspicions that the late Palestinian leader died of "unnatural" causes.

The comments by Nasser al-Kidwa, after he handed over the 558-page medical dossier to Palestinian officials in Ramallah, were certain to fuel speculation that Arafat was poisoned. He died in a French hospital on November 11 after a brief illness.

Al-Kidwa repeated his statement from last month that the French doctors were unable to rule out the possibility that Arafat had been poisoned, although they said they had not found traces of "any poison known to them".

Al-Kidwa said examinations of X-rays and all manner of tests had still not led to a clear diagnosis. "That is precisely the reason why suspicions are there, because without a reason you cannot escape the possibility that there is unnatural cause for the death," he said.

http://news.scotsman.com/topics.cfm?tid=1201&id=1421172004

Haemorrhage killed Arafat
LAURIE COPANS
IN JERUSALEM

A "MASSIVE brain haemorrhage" killed Yasser Arafat, the Palestinian leader, last year, although it remains unclear what led to the rapid deterioration in his health, according to French medical records made public yesterday.

<snip>

"The mystery around Yasser Arafat will only grow bigger and bigger after reading this report," said Avi Isacharoff, the Israel Radio reporter who obtained the medical records with the Israeli daily Haaretz.

<snip>

According to French doctors, Mr Arafat developed a digestive ailment about 30 days before he died. He also suffered an "acute" case of a blood disorder, disseminated intravascular coagulation.

Senior Palestinian officials have accused Israel of poisoning their leader - an allegation Israeli officials reject.

<snip>

Mr Arafat became ill with nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhoea after eating dinner . The symptoms continued for more than two weeks before he was evacuated to France. He died on 11 November.

http://news.scotsman.com/topics.cfm?tid=1201&id=1911902005

[LeftishBrit]

54. Arafat wasn't assassinated - he died of natural causes...

Unlike Rabin, Sadat and many others in the long Middle Eastern story.

[barb162]

56. Do you have any proof he was murdered?

I think he died of one of the old age diseases; an autopsy sure could have helped dismiss any conspiracy theories.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/4335408.stm

[IndianaGreen]

63. Uri Avnery: US gave Israel green light to assassinate Arafat

If Arafat were still alive

Israel should take no comfort from inter-Arab conflicts. Peace depends on Palestinian unity

Uri Avnery
Wednesday January 31, 2007
The Guardian

'If Arafat were alive..." One hears this phrase increasingly often in conversations with Palestinians, and also with Israelis and foreigners. "If Arafat were alive, what's happening now in Gaza wouldn't be happening..." "If Arafat were alive, we would have somebody to talk with..." "If Arafat were alive, Islamic fundamentalism would not have won among the Palestinians and would have lost some force in the neighbouring countries!"

In the meantime, the unanswered questions come up again: how did Yasser Arafat die? Was he murdered?

On the way back from Arafat's funeral in 2004, I ran into Jamal Zahalka, a member of the Israeli Knesset. I asked him if he believed that Arafat was murdered. Zahalka, a doctor of pharmacology, answered "Yes!" without hesitation. That was my feeling too. But a hunch is not proof. It is only a product of intuition, common sense and experience.

Recently we got a kind of confirmation. Just before he died last month, Uri Dan, Ariel Sharon's loyal mouthpiece for almost 50 years, published a book in France. It includes a report of a conversation Sharon told him about, with President Bush. Sharon asked for permission to kill Arafat and Bush gave it to him, with the proviso that it must be done undetectably. When Dan asked Sharon whether it had been carried out, Sharon answered: "It's better not to talk about that." Dan took this as confirmation.

The secret services of many countries have poisons that are all but undetectable. Ten years ago, Mossad tried to kill Khaled Mashal, the Hamas leader, in broad daylight on a thoroughfare in Amman. He was saved only when the Israeli government was compelled to provide the antidote to the poison it had used. Viktor Yushchenko, the president of Ukraine, was poisoned and saved only when the symptoms were identified by experts in time.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/story/0,,2002299,00.html?gusrc=rss&feed=1

[maddezmom]

49. Abbas outlaws Hamas movement

RAMALLAH, West Bank - Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Sunday outlawed the Islamic militant Hamas movement, his office said.

A formal announcement was to be released shortly, said aides in Abbas' office.

Abbas also swore in an emergency Cabinet, to replace the Hamas- Fatah coalition he dismantled after Hamas took control of the Gaza Strip by force.



http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070617/ap_on_re_mi_ea/israel_palestinians;_ylt=AodRYieWIMqVFt_FyKOj22FvaA8F

[janx]

51. Full speed ahead for Abbas.

He's not wasting any time.

RAMALLAH, West Bank (Reuters) - Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas swore in an emergency government on Sunday in a move that could bolster him in his power struggle with Islamist Hamas rivals by ending a U.S.-led aid embargo.

The 13-member cabinet, including an ex-guerrilla chief as interior minister, replaces a short-lived unity government Abbas dismissed after Hamas seized control of the Gaza strip in a surge of factional fighting last week.

"Security of the citizen is the priority on the basis of the sovereignty of the law," Salam Fayyad, the economist who becomes prime minister, told Palestinians in a televised address.

http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSFLE45503220070617

[barb162]

58. He needs to move fast instead of just talking.

He'll start getting money in now.

[Louie the XIV]

59. Is the beginnings of a new 3 state solution?

[janx]

60. Very possibly so, yes,

provided Fatah doesn't screw up.

[barb162]

57. Good for Abbas. It's the best move he's made in months.n/t