Israeli Vice Premier Says Killing Arafat an Option

[DuctapeFatwa]

Israel's vice premier said Sunday killing Palestinian President Yasser Arafat was an option in its threat to "remove" him as an obstacle to peace.

"Killing (him) is definitely one of the options," Ehud Olmert, a mainstream member of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's cabinet, told Israel Radio.

"We are trying to eliminate all the heads of terror, and Arafat is one of the heads of terror," Olmert said.

Palestinian chief peace negotiator Saeb Erekat said in response: "This is the thinking and action of the mafia -- not a government."

http://abcnews.go.com/wire/World/reuters20030914_10.html

[Cloud]

1. This is only going to cause more problems

Isreal is alone on this one. The European Union, United States, and many other countries have condemned this.

This will only cause more violence if Israel expels Arafat. Then Israel will wonder why there is a sudden rash of revenge attacks. :mad:

[aquart]

3. "a sudden rash of revenge attacks"

Dear me, how will they be able to tell the difference?

[Emillereid]

6. Like an over indulgent parent we might protest this crazy behavior,

but in no time at all we'll find excuses and forgive and forget. Besides, we've been their model in the assassination of other countries leaders. I guess they figure they'll do what we do, not what we say.

What I don't understand is when and how the Israelis highjacked our foreign policy, when their 'best interests' became ours. I swear it appears as if they've got the goods on all our politicians and are blackmailing them en masse.

[PsychoDad]

17. Alone, but backed by American money

Paid for by the citizens of america.

[aquart]

2. Oy.

Of course it's an option. It's always been an option. A crappy one, which is why it hasn't happened.

They've run out of ideas. They're tired of being terrified.

Arafat's hands are drenched in blood, not all of it Jewish, but when he dies he will be remembered as a patriot. There is no sense at all in making him a martyr.

[jiacinto]

4. I support Israel

Shame on those who don't.

[w4rma]

7. I support Israel. I utterly despise Prime Minister Ariel Sharon

Both Prime Ministers, Ehud Barak and Yitzhak Rabin were honorable and good people.

[Noordam]

12. Fuck Israel they voted for mad man Sharon twice

they will not get any pity from me until they get a peacemaker in.

[the masses against the classes]

14. true but by the same token

Bush was *ahem* voted in as president...and if we aren't careful it will be twice

[Muddleoftheroad]

27. Peacemakers

They had a peacemaker and it didn't work. Arafat doesn't want peace.

[Noon_Blue_Apples]

35. Ya, RIGHT WING JEWS KILLED HIM

was a good day wasn't it

free at last

[Aidoneus]

37. Barak was no peacemaker

he was just another snakeoil peddler with decades of killing Arabs under his belt, how people keep believing these myths is astounding.

[durutti]

52. No Peace Without Justice

Bantustans are not justice.

[Jim Sagle]

30. Fuck anyone who can't understand that Arafat is WHY

they voted for Sharon.

[durutti]

53. How?

You people repeat this mantra over and over, without presenting any evidence to back up what you're saying.

Arafat cracked down (often quite cruelly) on militants throughout years following Oslo. What did he get for his efforts? A record number of settlements.

I challenge anyone to produce anything even remotely resembling conclusive evidence that Arafat is behind the violence.

[rook1]

41. You can't make peace

....with terrorists. I think Sharon has shown remarkable restraint considering what has been going on.We need to quit sticking our noses in their business and let Israel handle this situation as they fit.

[durutti]

51. Israelis Are Frightened

They're no more culpable than the Palestinians who support Hamas for similar reasons.

[Muddleoftheroad]

26. And that got them where exactly?

No peace, just more death.

[Emillereid]

8. What does this mean --

do you support Israel, no matter what party or policies governs her -- no matter what her government does? Even when Israel is wrong?

[Paschall]

9. I support the Israeli people

Like the American people. And just as I don't support ShrubCo (that's a vast understatement!) I don't support the current Likud leadership.

It's impossible not to see the bloody parallel dramas being played out between the arch adversaries, Shrub and Saddam, Sharon and Arafat. Shrub's pre-emptive strike policy, demonizing war drums, and brutal, go-it-alone bull-headedness are all visible in each step Sharon takes.

Shame on you for accepting either Shrub's or Sharon's blood-lust.

[dutchdemocrat]

11. Why do you support Israel?

What rights do the Jewish people have to a land they lost thousands of years ago? America belongs to the Native Indians with that logic.
I am willing to debate this.

I am sorry. I don't support Sharon's land theft and ethnic cleansing.

Like what is happening right now in Iraq and being paralleled in Israel.

Oh and... I am a 'Jew'. In Holland.

[the masses against the classes]

13. I'm going to be in Amsterdam the 16th!

the resistance museum is something, isn't it?

[Mairead]

21. I've tried to make that same point several times at DU

I suspect you'll get the same result I got -- a headache!

Too many people are still mired in the colonialist mindset. They get outraged at the idea that the US could have handed over a chunk of West Texas to be Israel--they see unfairness in that. But they can't grasp that it was much more unfair to hand over land belonging to a completely separate people. They just don't 'get it'.

[Muddleoftheroad]

28. Cleansing?

Where is this occuring? Do you mean in Gaza where the Palestinian population is growing or the West Bank where the same is occurring?

[No Passaran]

15. I don't

I don't. I also didn't support South Africa and their treatment of Blacks. I don't support racist countries.

[arcos]

19. One thing is to support Israel...

and another to support the assasination of Yasser Arafat.

Some people may now like him, but think of the consequences this could bring. All hell would break lose (even worse) in the Middle East. Would this stop terrorism? The answer is obvious. It would only worsen the situation.

[chasqui]

34. There is a different angle to all this.

All these guys on the top are members of similar mafia-like outfits. If they want to start shooting each other, let them do so, the world will probably be a better place for it.

[Gimel]

45. they've tried everything else

Arafat seems to undermine every effort for peace. He is called "an obstacle to peace". If peace is within our grasp, it's without Arafat. The operation may be painful, but later we'll feel sooo much better.

[jos]

48. Blame Arafat

It's nice to have a whipping boy to blame everything on. Why would they want to get rid off him?

[durutti]

54. Evidence?

I'm going to start confronting you people on this point. I'm sick of hearing it constantly repeated. How is Arafat at all responsible for the failure of the so-called "peace process"?

[chapter32]

56. And, "Life" is your "Hobby"?

According to your profile?

[cantwealljustgetalong]

59. what does her profile have to do with this issue?...

how about she changes it to "Life Without Arafat"...better?...

[chapter32]

62. Obvious:

The poster #45 supports the killing by describing it as: “The operation may be painful, but later we'll feel sooo much better.” I then noticed she is listing “Life” as her “Hobby” in her profile. I believe the support of “Killing” and the hobby of “Life” are so contradictory, wouldn’t you agree?

And yes, if she changes it to "Life Without Arafat" is much better and it won’t be insincere – but she probably won’t.

[Gimel]

63. It was theoretical

"Operation" can mean a number of things.

[chapter32]

64. "Operation" can mean a number of things...

Is “killing” included?

[bpilgrim]

23. right or wrong

typical

peace

[0007]

24. I feel so honored to be shamed

by you

[Noon_Blue_Apples]

36. shame on partisan whores

go lieberman go

[DisgustipatedinCA]

42. Shame on you

Shame on you for supporting the government of Israel when they spew garbage like this.

Now would you care to explain WHY I should be ashamed for not supporting the policies of Israel vis-a-vis the Palestinians?

[Doug Decker]

43. I can't believe you are still posting here....

but haven't had time to respond to your post in the thread in LBN on the capitol Dems.

Please, I am awaiting your reply.

Edited to add the url: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=112074

[DisgustipatedinCA]

44. Shame on anyone who advocates murder

Supporting MURDER is not a Democratic value, whether you're moderate or liberal. It's reprehensible. It's wrong. It's despicable. And it disgusts me to see people advocating violence.

And yes, the same goes for the Palestinian side.

My Israel, right or wrong? Vile.

[durutti]

50. Bull

You're no different than those who "support America" or "support our troops" by insisting on their involvement in a war that's absolutely not fought in the interest of the vast majority of Americans.

[w4rma]

5. Ariel Sharon needs to be defeated in the next elections

Whatever he's trying to do, it's not ethical, it's not moral, it's not working.

[Julien Sorel]

10. He won't be defeated, and the simple fact is, he is doing

nothing different than every government in Israel's history has done since 1967. It's just that more people are catching on to it, partially because of the internet, and partially because of 9-11. Unfortunately, also because of 9-11 and the spineless Bush, he's able to be a little more up front with it than some of his predecessors were able to do.

It really is too bad that people are willing to allow Israel to hide behind Sharon. It's a democracy, after all, and they put him into office with a landslide, and returned him with a resounding right-wing mandate. Sharon is doing what Israel's people want him to do, or they wouldn't keep him around.

[papau]

16. doing what Israel's people want him to do-Iraeli's have given up on Arafat

and see a PA that can not say yes to "peace" unless that means a unified Arab state with Jews once again as in pre-48 forbidinned from the Temple Mount - a "right of return" that turns the population majority to Arab.

The BBC had a few foriegn office types from different countries on and agreeing that Arafat can not let go his myths and make peace - indeed it seems many Arab states say he is a liar - agreeing to compromize but then backing out.

Last poll I saw was a high 70's in Isreal to reverse Sharon's policies if any chance of peace.

But if no chance for peace, there are no other logical policies.

[Julien Sorel]

20. I see.

So it's Arafat's fault that every single government that has been in power in Israel since 1967 has followed essentially the identical program with regards to the West Bank. As soon as Arafat is out of the way, Israel will stop building the settlements, stop building the wall, and begin negotiating -- they've simply been waiting 36 years for the departure of Arafat from the scene to do it.

It was Arafat's fault that Israel refused to abide by the so-called 'Roadmap to Peace,' instead attaching a bunch of unilateral conditions to it, thereby making it meaningless.

I believe Arafat also lacks an alibi for the Kennedy assassination, and he's of about the right age to have been a participant. Sirhan Sirhan, who killed RFK, was a Palestinian, you know, just like Arafat. The pieces fall into place :tinfoilhat:

[papau]

22. Taba n/t

n/t

[Julien Sorel]

40. And what about Taba?

Tell me more about it. Why is it relevant to this discussion? I need more than one word. Taba is a cool little city, but it isn't an argument.

[Muddleoftheroad]

29. The wall

Why should Israel stop building a wall that is designed to keep Palestinians out, when there is obviously no peace between the two groups?

[jos]

47. Here's one reason why

Unintended consequences:

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/09/14/opinion/14FRIE.html

[Mairead]

18. Sharon's government has also threatened Uri Avnery's life

So it's not as though they feel there are any ethical limits. Like the creeps who work for SmirkCo, they are psychopaths to whom other people are cardboard cutouts with no rights.

[Voltaire99]

32. Vulgar, criminal regime

Avnery is one of the lights of Israeli intellectualism--no wonder the "man of peace" Sharon despises him.

The influence of uncritical US support sits poisonously behind Israel's latest flouting of international will. How sad for Americans that their leaders--Democrats as enthusiastically as Republicans--endlessly bankroll this violent, sickening regime.

[Democat]

25. Bush has told the world, there are no international laws, no morals

Anyone can do anything they want, as long as they can get away with it. It's the Bush right wing way. No laws, no ethics, no morals, no responsibility.

We must defeat Bush and get the world back on the path to law and order in 2004.

[loudnclear]

31. When is the US going to begin to act like a 'super power' and put

Israel in its place? We can no longer afford to support Israel at the expense of our own country. When is Israel going to start acting like an ally and not like a spoiled brat bully. For God's sake, one would think that the Palestinians were responsible for the holocaust and not Germany!

[Tracer]

33. So This Is What It's Come Down To?

Government approved assassinations?

This can cut both ways, and will lead down a very slippery slope.

[Whoa_Nelly]

38. After reading all the posts here

that is exactly what I was thinking, Tracer. Assassination of leaders will become the mores of global societies.

[Mairead]

57. Perhaps that would be a good thing?

Rather the leaders than the innocents, no?

[WillyT]

39. Anybody Else Thinking This Might Trigger All-Out-War In The ME ???

I sure am!!!

:scared::nuke::scared:

[Gimel]

46. A ruse

This is merely a political ruse to get people stirred up. That's been going around lately "it's an option". Like it's one of the things that are in the realm of possibility. Maybe they'll move him to Gaza, maybe they'll just sit on his doorstep for another millenia.

Maybe he'll be off'd. It's that bad. It can't get worse than this. The ony thing is that as a martyr and a dead martyr he could be more dangerous.

[jos]

49. Sharon could be next

If Sharon kills Arafat, the Palestinians might just go after Sharon. And round and round it goes.

[No Passaran]

55. Stupid

I really don't think Arafat has anything to do with Hamas and their tactics. I don't think he can stop them and/or tell them to attack. If he's assasinated by Israel, Hamas would just use it as an excuse to recruit more angry Palestinians and rally them around Hamas instead of Arafat. It's a stupid thought even for Israeli Gov.

[newyorican]

58. "It can't get worse than this."

A mind is a terrible thing to waste....

[Resistance]

60. but it can get better

for Israel - when they finish stealing the rest of the occupied territories, ignoring the rest of the world which is telling them 'you're wrong'. That's what you get when psychopathic religious fundamentalists receive the unconditional support of the U.S.

[newyorican]

61. Which, "psychopathic religious fundamentalists" do you mean?

Ours or theirs?

On second thought the obvious answer is an all-encompassing 'YES'.