-Caveat Lector-
I question the premise that Arafat is losing control.
By making that claim, he can play both sides. He can
claim to be trying to quell the violence, thus staying
in the "peace" game, while still achieving the goals of
the uprising. And, not inconsequentially, not getting
assassinated by his own militants.
Joshua2
===============================================
Subject:
[Spy News] Arafat losing control
Date:
Sat, 21 Oct 2000 16:01:59 +0200
Arafat losing control
http://www.worldtribune.com/tout-4.html
Special to World Tribune.com
MIDDLE EAST NEWSLINE
Saturday, October 21, 2000
RAMALLAH — Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat is being defied by
gunmen from his Fatah party as well as by security chiefs.
PA sources said Arafat feels he is losing his grip over his security forces
and plans to replace several leading officials. They said Arafat feels that
the security chiefs have defied his orders to ensure their popularity with
Fatah and Islamic militants.
Fatah gunmen ignored orders to end attacks against Israel, including the
siege against Jewish settlers outside Nablus, which lasted late Thursday.
Fatah gunmen attacked an Israeli bus that contained 37 tourists on Mount
Ebal.
One Israeli was killed and four were wounded. Palestinian sources said a
Palestinian was killed and another 11 were injured. The shootout lasted five
hours.
Arafat ordered Fatah gunmen to end their fire on the Israelis so the injured
could be evacuated and the tourists could leave the area. PA sources said
when the Fatah gunmen refused to leave, Arafat ordered a force of commando
forces to intervene.
But when a contingent of the so-called National Forces, used to quell riots,
arrived, the commandos came under fire from Fatah gunmen, the sources said.
One commando was injured.
At that point, the sources said, the commandos received the order to
withdraw. Other security agencies, they said, refused to intervene.
The withdrawal of PA forces encouraged Fatah gunmen and other militants in
the Nablus area. PA sources said hundreds of Palestinians with weapons
arrived to the foothills of Mount Ebal to join the battle.
"The militia of Fatah from all over Nablus ran to stop the settlers from
attacking the Palestinian people," Palestinian Legislative Council member
Hussam Khadr said.
The gunmen fired at Israeli tourists as well as Israeli air force
helicopters flying overhead. The Cobra attack helicopters could not land
because of the fire.
PA sources acknowledge that Arafat has lost control of his Fatah gunmen.
They said the PA chairman is under pressure from Egypt, Israel and the
United States but refuses to order his security agencies to confront Fatah
gunmen or other Palestinians who continue to attack Israelis.
Israeli intelligence officials agreed. They said Arafat's security chiefs
are involved in terrorist plans against Israel. They said the explosion in
Bethlehem, in which at least two people were killed and eight injured at
Arafat's headquarters, appeared to be that of a bomb that blew up
prematurely.
"I would not rule out that this was a coincidental explosion," Maj. Gen.
Yitzhak Eitan, head of Central Command, said.
Other intelligence officials said a bomb thrown at an Israeli bus in Gaza on
Wednesday was the work of PA security chief Mohammed Dahlan.
Saturday, October 21, 2000
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