-Caveat Lector- -----Original Message----- From: SHIBEL [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Sent: Saturday, June 22, 2002 7:47 AM To: Undisclosed-Recipient:; Subject: [AL-AWDA-News] Arafat's interview with Ha'aretz Importance: High
Posted for the record. This is the text as published by Ha'aretz. w w w . h a a r e t z d a i l y . c o m Arafat to Ha'aretz: I accept Clinton's plan; peace is possible Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat yesterday issued a call for "no more war," declaring that he accepts the proposal first made by former U.S. president Bill Clinton as a framework for a peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians. In an interview with Ha'aretz, Arafat used the same phrase that U.S. President George W. Bush recently used - "Enough is enough" - and said he supports the initiative of Sari Nusseibeh, Hanan Ashrawi and other Palestinian intellectuals who published an advertisement against the suicide bombings. Arafat said that if given permission, he would follow in the footsteps of Jordan's late King Hussein, who made personal condolence calls on the families of victims of a shooting attack at Naharayim in 1996. He said that "foreign" forces were exploiting young hopeless Palestinians, encouraging them to commit attacks in exchange for money, adding that two families of suicide attackers from Jenin received $30,000 each from these foreigners. He also said he had imposed a house arrest on Hamas leader Sheikh Ahmed Yassin in Gaza. His advisers have expressed amazement that Israel has not taken any steps against Hamas and Islamic Jihad, preferring to focus its military campaign against the Palestinian Authority and Fatah. Yesterday's interview was the first time Arafat has declared his acceptance of the Clinton proposal. The plan does not mention the right of return of Palestinian refugees to Israel. Arafat also said he supports border corrections and territorial exchanges, and that he is proposing Israeli sovereignty over, and access to, the Western Wall and the Old City's Jewish Quarter. During the interview, which took place at Arafat's much-battered headquarters compound in Ramallah, the PA leader pointed to a document that, he said, was the security reform plans he had received from the security chiefs of Egypt and Jordan. He said the PA's new Interior Ministry has already begun implementing the reforms, having visited Cairo this week for consultations with the Egyptian security services, and he expressed readiness to cooperate with Israeli security on condition that they let him reorganize his own security services. Arafat said he believes it is possible to reach peace with Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, saying that Sharon was ready to dismantle Jewish settlements in the Sinai, and as foreign minister, gave his blessing to the Wye agreement that Clinton had worked out during Netanyahu's term as premier. Arafat claimed he had yet to receive any information from the United States about a proposal for a provisional state, but that he does not rule one out. He added that he had not ruled out the Peres-Abu Ala plan, which includes the declaration of a Palestinian state to be followed by negotiations on borders, Jerusalem and refugees. Arafat said it was Sharon who said Foreign Minister Shimon Peres did not have the mandate to propose the plan, and he called the Labor Party "a fig leaf for Sharon." According to Arafat, he would prefer to see a Benelux-like relationship between Israel and the Palestinian state with open borders. He regards himself as an elected leader, and said he has no intention of retiring. By Akiva Eldar <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/";>www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substance—not soap-boxing—please! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'—with its many half-truths, mis- directions and outright frauds—is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRLgives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html <A HREF="http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html";>Archives of [EMAIL PROTECTED]</A> http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ <A HREF="http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/";>ctrl</A> ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
