How the world reacted to the death of Yasser Arafat
Thursday November 11, 2004
"Now the road is open, and we are telling the Israelis, welcome - if you want to implement the road map, then implement it. It was the path of President Arafat, and we will go on the path of Arafat."
Nabil Shaath, Palestinian foreign minister
"The next phase will not be the same without Yasser Arafat. He was the only
one who understood the importance of national unity and there will never be a
Palestinian leader willing to bear the consequences of saying 'no' to the
Americans and Israel."
Jibril Rajoub, Arafat aide
"Arafat was the embodiment of the Palestinian question and his absence will
certainly be greatly felt. But to all those who think that his passing away will
open all the doors for peace, we say that this is false and that the answers
never really lay with the Palestinians as much as with the Israelis."
Hossam Zaki, spokesman for the Arab League
"The recent events could be a historic turning point for the Middle East.
Israel is a country that seeks peace and will continue its efforts to reach a
peace deal with the Palestinians without delay."
Ariel Sharon, Israeli
prime minister
"There is no doubt that with the death of Yasser Arafat an era has ended ...
for good or bad. The biggest mistake of Arafat was when he turned to terror. His
greatest achievements were when he tried to build peace."
Shimon Peres,
Israeli opposition leader
"[Arafat's death is] a significant moment in Palestinian history ... We hope
that the future will bring peace and the fulfilment of the aspirations for an
independent democratic Palestine that is at peace with its neighbours."
George Bush, US president
Colin Powell, US secretary of state
"Obviously he was a huge icon for the Palestinian people. There is no doubt
about that at all. Whatever differences we had with him I think it is right to
recognise that. I think the most important thing is to make sure we reinvigorate
the peace process because there is misery for Palestinians, there is misery for
Israelis who suffer terrorist activity. And in the meantime we have got a
situation where it is a huge source of discontent and problem within the world
so it is important we deal with it."
Tony Blair, prime minister
"Both Israelis and Palestinians, and the friends of both peoples throughout
the world, must make even greater efforts to bring about the peaceful
realisation of the Palestinian right of self-determination,"
Kofi Annan,
United Nations secretary-general
"The values and high virtues that Arafat embodied during his struggle for the
Palestinian cause will inspire the Palestinian people so that they preserve
their cohesion and unity and pursue their path to win back their national,
legitimate and eternal rights".
Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali, Tunisian
president
"Although he has not lived to see the birth of a Palestinian state, we will
work with the Palestinian authorities and the international community to
contribute to realising the aspirations of the Palestinian people."
Ben
Bot, Dutch foreign minister, in a statement issued on behalf of the European
Union
"The best tribute to President Arafat's memory will be to intensify our
efforts to establish a peaceful and viable state of Palestine as foreseen by the
road map. With the passing of Yasser Arafat the Palestinian people have lost
their historic leader. More than any other, his life stands for the tragic and
turbulent history of the Middle East. A period of grief starts for all
Palestinians."
Javier Solana, European Union foreign policy chief
"Yasser Arafat strove during his lifetime to lead the Palestinians to
independence and establish a sovereign, viable Palestinian state. It was not
granted to Yasser Arafat to complete his life's work."
Gerhard Schröder,
German chancellor
"It is with emotion that I have learned of the death of President Yasser
Arafat. France, like its partners in the European Union, will maintain, firmly
and with conviction, its commitment to two states ... living side by side in
peace and security. The road map, approved by Yasser Arafat, opens up that
prospect."
Jacques Chirac, French president
"I think history will judge him very harshly for not having seized the
opportunity ... to embrace the offer that was very courageously made by the
then-Israeli prime minister, Ehud Barak."
John Howard, Australian prime
minister
"Arafat gave hope to millions of the downtrodden and despised, by instilling
in them the knowledge and consciousness that despite current difficulties, they
hold the gift of freedom in their hands."
Thabo Mbeki, South African
president
"Yasser Arafat spent his entire life for the Palestinian cause. We pray that
his mission is completed after his death."
Junichiro Koizumi, Japanese
prime minister
"The Holy See joins the pain of the Palestinian people for the passing of
President Yasser Arafat. He was a leader of great charisma who loved his people
and tried to guide them towards national independence. May God in His mercy
receive the soul of the illustrious deceased and grant peace to the Holy Land
with two independent and sovereign states in full reconciliation between them."
Joaquin Navarro-Valls, Vatican spokesman
"Could I express the British government's deepest sympathy and condolences
for the death of President Arafat. He was a towering figure not only in the
Palestinian world but in the Arab world, and it is difficult to imagine the
Middle East without him."
Jack Straw, foreign secretary
"Throughout a lifetime in struggle, President Yasser Arafat has not only been
a father to the Palestinian people, he has been an inspiration to people
throughout the world as he led the struggle for a sovereign Palestinian state
... The most fitting legacy to President Arafat is for the international
community to act immediately to ensure that the Israeli government removes its
troops and illegal settlements from Palestinian lands and a return to the
negotiating table."
Gerry Adams, Sinn Féin
leader
| Yahoo! Groups Sponsor | |
|
|
Yahoo! Groups Links
- To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/VTJP/
- To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
- Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.
