Word: arafats
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: all
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
...Legacy of Arafat...
Whatever view one takes of the long struggle between Palestinians and Israelis, a kernel of truth concerning that conflict can be glimpsed from two details of Yasser Arafat's illness and death [Nov. 22]. His people had to take him to another country for decent medical care, and they had to ask Israel, his lifelong enemy, for permission to return his body for burial in Ramallah in the West Bank. Can you imagine an Israeli Prime Minister being put in the same position? Until the fundamental economic and political inequalities that lie behind such contrasts are corrected, there is little...
...there had been no Arafat, we would not have suicide bombers or the suspicion of terrorism in every public place in the world. Would Osama bin Laden have masterminded the 9/11 attacks without Arafat's having led the way? Doubtful. All citizens of the Western world (not just Israelis) should remember Arafat and the terrorist acts he inspired every time they have to go through a metal detector or take their shoes off to get on an airplane...
...Arafat funded violent groups throughout the territories. Even in the optimistic early days after the signing of the Oslo accords, Arafat turned a blind eye when Palestinian terrorists bombed defenseless Israeli civilians. Apparently he believed that such acts would force more concessions from Israel. What Palestinians needed was a leader like Nelson Mandela. What they got was a sort of Robert Mugabe. Good riddance, and please, no more crocodile tears...
There is nothing wrong with seeking justice or independence for your people, but at what price? To state that Arafat won legitimacy for the Palestinian cause "despite sometimes [using] deplorable means" was cruel and idiotic. The next time you are worried that a terrorist will kill your loved ones or are haunted by the image of the Twin Towers, thank the guy who invented it all: Arafat. His dedication to violence has spawned a generation of thugs...