Sharon says Pledge on Arafat is off.

MKSheppard · Post by **MKSheppard** » 2004-04-24 12:19am

JERUSALEM (CNN) -- Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said Friday that he told President Bush at last week's meeting in Washington that he is releasing himself from a commitment he made to avoid harming Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.

In an interview with Israel TV's Channel Two, Sharon said he told Bush that he has changed his previous stance on Arafat, confined by Israel for the past two years to house arrest in Ramallah.

"I told the president the following: I told him in our first meeting three years ago I accepted your request not to physically harm Arafat," Sharon said.

"I told him I understand the problems. I understand the different situations."

Now, "I released myself from the commitment in regard to Arafat.

"I was very clear. I was committed then, and it was a different situation. When I started, Arafat was marching on red carpets laid for him by different governments in the past. Then, I accepted the commitment."

Now, Sharon said, the "commitment does not stand anymore."

The White House told the Israeli government Friday that it considers "a pledge a pledge" and made clear it would oppose any Israeli effort to target Arafat.

Two senior administration sources told CNN the message was delivered in a conversation between Bush National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice and Dov Weisglass, the chief of staff to Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.

Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat said the Israeli government intends to destroy the peace process and the Palestinian Authority, and to kill Arafat.

"This will only create more chaos, anarchy and bloodshed," he said. "It was the strongest signal yet that Israel could target Arafat."

Earlier, Sharon made similar comments to Israeli Army Radio, indicating Arafat and the head of Hezbollah were potential targets for assassination.

Hezbollah is a militant group based in Lebanon that seeks to establish a fundamentalist Muslim state. It has used unconventional attacks against U.S. and Israeli forces.

Israel recently assassinated two main targets from the Palestinian Islamic fundamentalist organization Hamas. They were Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, the group's founder, and Abdel Aziz Rantisi, the head of Hamas in Gaza. Yassin was assassinated last month and Rantisi was killed Saturday.

Hamas' military wing, Izzedine al Qassam, has admitted responsibility for terrorist attacks against Israeli civilians as well as attacks against the Israeli military.

On Thursday, four Palestinians wanted by Israel left Arafat's Ramallah compound at his request, a brother of one of them said. (Full story)

HemlockGrey · Post by **HemlockGrey** » 2004-04-24 12:23am

What exactly does Arafat do, anyway?

Spanky The Dolphin · Post by **Spanky The Dolphin** » 2004-04-24 12:31am

He's president of the Palestinian National Authority, I believe.

Nathan F · Post by **Nathan F** » 2004-04-24 12:54am

Why am I feeling no remorse at the oncoming, uhm, "elimination" of Arafat?

The Kernel · Post by **The Kernel** » 2004-04-24 03:42am

Good to see Sharon is keeping his promises now that the US has given him official backing.

Peace process my ass...

frigidmagi · Post by **frigidmagi** » 2004-04-24 03:57am

They're both butchers. My only lament is that even with Arafat gone, we'll still have to deal with Sharon.

Arafat likes to talk peace in Engilsh while talking war in Arabic.

Sharon likes to launch missles into apartment complexes.

Fuck them both.

Howedar · Post by **Howedar** » 2004-04-24 04:00am

We should have them fight a duel.

frigidmagi · Post by **frigidmagi** » 2004-04-24 05:14am

Now that is an idea

SUNDAY! SUNDAY! SOMEDAY!

See Sharon and Arafat fight it out, no holds barred, in the STEEL CAGE OF DEATH!!! Two men enter, One man leaves!!! Get your tickets now!

SUNDAY! SUNDAY! SOMEDAY!

MKSheppard · Post by **MKSheppard** » 2004-04-24 08:18am

Latest thing from the press wires, from the Washington Times
Story on this:

In Gaza, Palestinian militants revealed yesterday that they had stormed a police station earlier this week and freed three men with possible links to the deadly bombing of a U.S. diplomatic convoy last October.

The bombing, which killed three American security guards, has strained ties between the Palestinians and Washington. Palestinian authorities still haven't charged anyone in the case.

...oookay, so they haven't even charged anyone yet? Ok, I think it's time to teach these palestinians the meaning of the Wrath of the Great Satan (TM), by unleashing our Special Forces boys onto them.

Grand Admiral Thrawn · Post by **Grand Admiral Thrawn** » 2004-04-24 09:55am

Because we know the Palestian Police Force is a mighty and powerful group.

Solauren · Post by **Solauren** » 2004-04-24 10:37am

My recommendation;
Tell them both to go fuck themselves, and were willing to talk to whom ever wins

MKSheppard · Post by **MKSheppard** » 2004-04-24 11:08am

Grand Admiral Thrawn wrote:Because we know the Palestian Police Force is a mighty and powerful group.

It's funny, the former chief of Police AFAIK for the PA Police has
always wanted to crack down on Hamas, et al, but Arafat and the
others kept crippling him and saying no.....

sketerpot · Post by **sketerpot** » 2004-04-24 11:55am

Solauren wrote:My recommendation;
Tell them both to go fuck themselves, and were willing to talk to whom ever wins

It's certainly appealing. Perhaps in order to milk that for all it's worth, we could say to Israel: "drop the rascism, expansionsim, blatant lying, and other assorted crap within five years (you must at least be making a visible effort in two years), or we will pull out." Not that Bush ever actually will say something like that. I don't think we can threaten Palestine much with a line like that---they'd probably be happy if we pulled out---but fuck them, too.

The thing that really gets me about the Israel and Palestine mess is that people tend to throw around accusations of rascism as if they were complimentary breathmints. Any plan to tell them both to go fuck themselves would probably be slapped with the "rascist" label faster than you can say "Ad Hominem".

It pisses me off to see people trivializing real rascism like that.

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2004-04-24 11:59am

Arafat is a monetary sponge, just sitting there and absorbing the USAID that should be helping his part of the world turn into something other than a shit heap on Israel's doorstep.

I won't lose sleep to hear he's eaten a TOW somewhere down the line, but he'll only be replaced with another fanatic and Israel will once again start this merry-go-round of destruction, seemingly infinite in progression.

Sharon has to go as well.

BoredShirtless · Post by **BoredShirtless** » 2004-04-24 03:29pm

People, don't forget Arafat is an elected leader. To assassinate people without due process is fucked up enough, but to assassinate an elected leader? Sharon is insane, and he simply has to eat a dirt sandwich.

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2004-04-24 03:34pm

BoredShirtless wrote:People, don't forget Arafat is an elected leader. To assassinate people without due process is fucked up enough, but to assassinate an elected leader? Sharon is insane, and he simply has to eat a dirt sandwich.

I'd rather he bathed in napalm, but so long as the two clowns of the Middle-east sod off either way, I'm happy.

MKSheppard · Post by **MKSheppard** » 2004-04-24 03:35pm

BoredShirtless wrote:People, don't forget Arafat is an elected leader.

..........

*chokes self to death Laughing*

Like the president of Syria is an elected leader, or the Egyptian President?

Rogue 9 · Post by **Rogue 9** » 2004-04-24 03:43pm

MKSheppard wrote:
BoredShirtless wrote:People, don't forget Arafat is an elected leader.
..........

*chokes self to death Laughing*

Like the president of Syria is an elected leader, or the Egyptian President?

Lets not forget that Saddam Hussein was an elected leader! In fact, he was so popular that he won 99% of the vote in his last election!

BoredShirtless · Post by **BoredShirtless** » 2004-04-24 03:45pm

MKSheppard wrote:
BoredShirtless wrote:People, don't forget Arafat is an elected leader.
..........

*chokes self to death Laughing*

Like the president of Syria is an elected leader, or the Egyptian President?

You don't get it. Even if your implicit assertion that the elections are rigged [feel free to prove it] is true, the Palestinians will go absolutely ape shit. Assassinate a figure head like a President? Shit, just when you think Sharon can't get anymore senile...

BoredShirtless · Post by **BoredShirtless** » 2004-04-24 03:48pm

Rogue 9 wrote:
MKSheppard wrote:
BoredShirtless wrote:People, don't forget Arafat is an elected leader.
..........

*chokes self to death Laughing*

Like the president of Syria is an elected leader, or the Egyptian President?
Lets not forget that Saddam Hussein was an elected leader! In fact, he was so popular that he won 99% of the vote in his last election!

Ha ha ha. I guess the idea of further pushing away the prospects of peace between the two slipped your mind. Assassinating Arafat will not help Israel at all; it'll just make things worse.

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2004-04-24 03:50pm

BoredShirtless wrote: Ha ha ha. I guess the idea of further pushing away the prospects of peace between the two slipped your mind. Assassinating Arafat will not help Israel at all; it'll just make things worse.

Short of nuclear exchanges with the rest of the Arabic world, I can't really picture a worse scenario right now. That region went to Hell in a handbasket long ago.

BoredShirtless · Post by **BoredShirtless** » 2004-04-24 03:54pm

Admiral Valdemar wrote:Short of nuclear exchanges with the rest of the Arabic world, I can't really picture a worse scenario right now. That region went to Hell in a handbasket long ago.

True, it's in hell. But it can always get worse. Not because of new tactics from either side, just by an increase in the current ones [i.e. more suicide bombers, more tank incursions, etc etc].

PrinceofLowLight · Post by **PrinceofLowLight** » 2004-04-24 03:55pm

MKSheppard wrote:JERUSALEM (CNN) -- Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said Friday that he told President Bush at last week's meeting in Washington that he is releasing himself from a commitment he made to avoid harming Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.

"I told the president the following: I told him in our first meeting three years ago I accepted your request not to physically harm Arafat," Sharon said.

Three Weeks Later:
A shot of two Mossad agents high-fiving each other while standing over Arafat's corpse graces newspapers all over the world.

"...what? I said I would not physically harm Arafat."

Sharp-kun · Post by **Sharp-kun** » 2004-04-24 04:02pm

BoredShirtless wrote: the Palestinians will go absolutely ape shit.

Wasn't that said about the previous 2 assasinations? I haven't heard of any increase in hostilities by the Palestinians.

I don't give a damn if either Arafat or Sharon gets assasinated. Until they both go, the peace process can't go on.

BoredShirtless · Post by **BoredShirtless** » 2004-04-24 04:08pm

Sharp-kun wrote:
BoredShirtless wrote: the Palestinians will go absolutely ape shit.
Wasn't that said about the previous 2 assasinations? I haven't heard of any increase in hostilities by the Palestinians.

They're apparently planning "100 unique attacks" or something like that. This is definetly the eye in the storm; just wait, the shit will hit the fan soon enough.

I don't give a damn if either Arafat or Sharon gets assasinated. Until they both go, the peace process can't go on.

Christ, the message still hasn't sunk in...you shouldn't assassinate people! Especially leaders. Do you know how WW1 started? Right; an assassination. I'm not suggesting assassinating Arafat will trigger a world war or anything that big, but how can it help? Really, I'd like to see someone show possible positives from Arafats assassination.

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Sharon says Pledge on Arafat is off.

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