Sharon Says Israel Could Kill Arafat

[drdon326]

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon on Friday threatened his long-time foe Yasser Arafat with assassination, calling the Palestinian president a poor insurance risk.

The United States said it opposed the assassination of the veteran Palestinian leader.

snip

Sharon made his most explicit threat yet against Arafat in newspaper interviews 10 days after Israel assassinated Hamas leader Sheikh Ahmed Yassin in a helicopter strike in Gaza. He also directed the warning at Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah, leader of Lebanon's Hizbollah guerrilla group.

"I wouldn't suggest either one of them should feel secure. I wouldn't propose that any insurance company give them coverage," Sharon told Israel's Haaretz daily.

"Anyone who kills a Jew or harms an Israeli citizen, or sends someone to kill Jews, is a marked man. Period."

more http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=4739334">here

[drdon326]

1. Seeing...

the nobel prize winner...I mean weasel exit the scene
would hopefully improve the lifes of innocent palestinians who
deserve better than what hes done for them.

[bluesoul]

3. The same for

Sharon and him leaving the scene. The better for Palestinians and Israelis alike. He has brought only failure and more deaths...

[bambo53]

2. Expedite the wall

These people obviously cannot play well with other children.

[drumwolf]

4. As someone who is certainly no fan of Arafat myself, my question is....

...if he did disappear from the scene, how likely is it that he would be replaced by someone who's any better? Seems to me like he'd only be replaced with Hamas, who may not be slimy and corrupt like he is but are far more hardline anti-Israeli. Not to mention that if the Israelis killed Arafat, it would only make Arafat a martyr and even further destabilize the situation.

[Gimel]

8. PA or Hamas?

Hamas already has more influence than the PA. Arafat needs to disappear for a stronger democratic choice. There hasn't been in election in about 15 years.

[frylock]

5. why not? it's not like we've seen any blowback from them acing yassin.

[Aussie_Hillbilly]

9. Exactly

*** it's not like we've seen any blowback from them acing yassin ***

Ariel Sharon has to do something to increase the terror quotient. Killing Yassin wasn't enough, maybe Arafat will do the trick. How else can he be expected to be reelected?

Likud needs to shore up its support base. With the outlook for Bush's reselection looking poorer by the day, Israel must prepare for the day it becomes to Neocons what North Korea is to Stalinism.

[elsaamo]

10. I also enjoy a good conspiracy theory

and if you'd like, we can throw some around later. But especially being on such a touchy thread, perhaps we can limit those until we go to the "we all hate Ann Coulter board." Here, perhaps you might find it ALSO fun to present sources. I have no doubt that Sharon is thinking about the political reality, but if you're going to suggest that the Prime Minister of Israel has no interest in the safety of Israel, I'm sorry, but I need sources.

[Classical_Liberal]

15. He turned Yassin into a martyr by killing him

thus increasing the terror threat when Yassin could just as easily have been arrested and tried. If you need anymore proof that he has no interest in Israel's security, you need to pull your head out of the sand.

[Rhiannon12866]

16. I agree. This action only accomplished to increase the level of anger

and instigated more violence. These people should know better. It does no one any good to provoke violence. The people just want peace. The government is giving them just the opposite.

[Classical_Liberal]

17. I don't know that people on either side want peace

Sharon was elected remember. I don't know about Arafat and Yassin. Also recent polls show 75 percent of Israelis favor the assasinations. A majority of Palestinians support suicide bombings. A majority of Israelis favor the Wall even thought it isn't on the green line. A majority of Palestinians consider suicide bombers martyrs. A majority of Israelis favor transfer. I see no sign either side gives a damn about peace or security. They want to be locked in a cycle of vengence. I don't care what they do to each other anymore, but they don't need my money.

[tinnypriv]

6. Shit

Good job Begin isn't still around. He'd be a marked man.

Sharon = :dunce:

[Festivito]

7. That would give his CONservative buddy Bush a diversion.

His death would override coverage of Cheney talking through Bush.

[newyorican]

11. well, things have improved sooo much...

since blowing the cripple out of his golf cart, this would appear a sound strategery.
:crazy:

[Scurrilous]

12. US can't stop us from killing Arafat: Sharon

http://www.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=30032

<snip>

"Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said his pledge to the United States not to harm Yasser Arafat no longer holds, declaring that the Palestinian leader and the head of Lebanon's Hezbollah guerrillas are potential targets for assassination.

In an interview on Monday by Israeli army radio, Sharon also said for the first time that under his plan to leave the Gaza strip, evacuated Jewish settlements would not be destroyed.

Sharon said that three years ago he promised US President George W. Bush that Israel would not harm Arafat, but since then circumstances have changed.

“Arafat was (then) given red carpet treatment everywhere in the world. Today it is clear to the United States and to everyone just who Arafat is,” Sharon said. Israel and the United States are boycotting Arafat, charging that he is responsible for Palestinian violence."

[bluesoul]

13. If that happens

Palestinians wouldn't have any reservations taking care of Sharon or other Israeli representatives...

[Rhiannon12866]

14. I heard this on the news, tonight

Sharon said he reneged on his promise to Bush* not to assassinate Arafat. So much for waging peace. Can you imagine what reciprocity such an assassination would unleash?! Scares me to death and should certainly scare the people of Israel/Palestine.
:scared: