A stupid decision

[bemildred]

At a special meeting held on Thursday, following
the lethal suicide terror attacks at Tzrifin and
Jerusalem, the government decided that Israel will
act to remove Yasser Arafat. But this was approved
as a decision of principle, and the government
deferred the timing and the method of the
Palestinian Authority chairman's removal to a date
that has yet to be determined. As could be
expected, the decision instantly led to the
strengthening of Arafat's status among
Palestinians, as well as in the international arena.

The decision seems so stupid that it raises suspicions about
the possibility of a concealed strategem. Perhaps it is a
cagey ploy whose aim is to bring back to center stage the
figure with whom no progress can be made in peace
negotiations - in this way, the decision shatters all prospects
for a process whose end would be concessions in the
territories. It appears, however, that the
truth is far more simple: once again, the
government has failed to fathom a reality that
any reasonable person readily grasps.

Haaretz