Word: arafats
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...Fatah offshoot responsible for scores of suicide terror attacks that have killed hundreds of Israeli civilians. Israeli officials hope such a charge will convince the world of the Palestinian Authority's intimate involvement in terrorism - Barghouti, after all, is a senior Palestinian legislator and the organizational chief of Arafat's own political party...
...Barghouti's incarceration is more likely to strengthen than diminish his claim to the mantle of Palestinian national leadership. He's already the most popular Fatah leader after the aging Arafat, and that popularity derives precisely from his willingness to challenge the PA's corruption and cronyism, and to forcefully stand up to both the Israelis and the Americans. Barghouti maintains he shares the goal of the U.S. and most Israelis of resolving the conflict by creating a Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza. But unlike them - although more in keeping with the sentiments on the Palestinian street...
...Palestinian politics, he clearly takes a long-term view - his strategy of "armed struggle" to end the occupation was partly inspired by the success of Hezbollah's 20-year guerrilla war in persuading Israel to withdraw from Lebanon. Barghouti may be betting that prison will anoint him as Arafat's ultimate successor, and also confer on him the nationalist moral authority necessary to make the compromises of statesmanship. But while Barghouti may imagine himself in the role of a Palestinian Mandela, he can't relish the fact that between the South African leader's conviction on terrorism charges...
...Arafat is already undermining the modest reforms he has undertaken since the U.S. increased the pressure on him to clean house three months ago. He blocked attempts last week by his new Interior Minister to fire seven senior police officers. And despite an earlier promise to remove the head of the National Security forces in the West Bank, Haj Ismail Jabr, whom Palestinian officials have accused of corruption, Arafat now wants simply to change Jabr's job and make him head of the police force, aides...
Such tactics are starting to frustrate Arafat's own people. Mahmoud Abbas, secretary-general of the P.L.O. executive committee (who is also known as Abu Mazen), was favored by senior Palestinians for the Prime Minister's job. He stormed off to Qatar three weeks ago in anger at the lack of progress, telling friends he planned to quit. He was persuaded to return by Egyptian and Jordanian leaders who want to keep the pressure on Arafat for change. Palestinian officials close to Abbas expect him to have a showdown with Arafat soon...