Poisoning Arafat(by Uri Avnery)

[Ken Burch]

http://www.counterpunch.org/2012/07/06/poisoning-arafat/

For me, there was no surprise. From the very first day, I was convinced that Yasser Arafat had been poisoned by Ariel Sharon. I even wrote about it several times.

It was a simple logical conclusion.

First, a thorough medical examination in the French military hospital where he died did not find any cause for his sudden collapse and death. No traces of any life-threatening disease were found.

The rumors distributed by the Israeli propaganda machine that Arafat had AIDS were blatant lies. They were a continuation of the rumors spread by the same machine that he was gay – all part of the relentless demonization of the Palestinian leader, which went on daily for decades.

When there is no obvious cause of death, there must be a less obvious one.

Second, we know by now that several secret services possess poisons that leave no routinely detectable trace. These include the CIA, the Russian FSB (successor of the KGB), and the Mossad.

Third, opportunities were plentiful. Arafat’s security arrangements were decidedly lax. He would embrace perfect strangers who presented themselves as sympathizers of the Palestinian cause and often seated them next to himself at meals.

Fourth, there were plenty of people who aimed at killing him and had the means to do so. The most obvious one was our prime minister, Ariel Sharon. He had even talked about Arafat having “no insurance policy” in 2004.

I'd really like to hear somebody make an argument that Mr. Avnery, a hero of Israel's War of Independence, should be dismissed as an opponent of Israel's existence.

This is a man who's been part of Israeli history for over six decades.

And clearly, given the history of the last few years, we would all have to agree that no good came to anyone, including Israel, from Arafat's death-that that death did nothing whatsoever to produce a better alternative leadership for Palestine.

What this story does tell us is that Israel needs a different leadership...a leadership that actually wants to make peace, rather than just be able to say "we won and they lost". A leadership that is driven by a desire for Israelis and Palestinians to have a decent life...rather than just a fixation with fighting for the sake of fighting and "victory&quot even when it's impossible and worthless in military terms) for "victory"s sake.

The people of Israel deserve better than the leaders they have now.

[JDPriestly]

1. Arafat had a lot of enemies besides Sharon -- some of them Palestinian.

Don't assume things without proof.

[shira]

2. Uri Avnery has always been a joke. No one in Israel takes that idiot seriously. I'm surprised...

...that CounterPunch is allowed here.

Avnery is writing for Alex Cockburn at CounterPunch. Cockburn blames the Jews for 911 and the anthrax attacks that followed.

Avnery has also written articles for the Neo-Nazi, holocaust denying website Rense as well.

This article is a page out of history's many anti-Jew blood libels. Avnery has zero proof the "Jews" killed Arafat, but that doesn't stop him.

[holdencaufield]

3. If he was poisoned...

... and I doubt it ... my money is on Suha Arafat. She had motive and opportunity.

[pelsar]

5. first he's not a hero...

In israel heros are people do extraodianary things that the normal "run of the mill" combat solider does not do....he was just a regular underground soldier....start with getting that as a base.

when will you stop with the:
And clearly, given the history of the last few years, we would all have to agree.......
History and research as we have seen, are not your strong points.....so perhaps you shouldn't use that as base

if and when you agree with me, you can use such words, until then may i suggested the following:
in my opinion......

next:
we would all have to agree
its good that he is gone. he totally corrupted the PA upon his arrival, and sstarted intifada II, totally destroying the gains of intifada I

____
The people of Israel deserve better than the leaders they have now.

our leaders because they are elected actually reflect the views of the majority of the israelis at any given time, when there are new elections, they get changed...our elected leaders are in fact "what we deserve." That is the essence of a working democracy

sometimes you get what you want, and sometimes you don't....

save your sanctimonious "elitist superior view" for the the hamas dictatorship and the corrupt PA, (oops i forgot, you don't believe in criticizing them or holding them responsible for anything because they 'can't do anything under the occupation, (except for launching rockets and creating corrupt dictatorships) unlike the jews of 1948.....because they....
1 have lesser abilities?
2 have more governmental responsibilities?
3 have their own security forces?
4 were insulted by th jews/israelis and simply can't get over it (hence the continuos attempts at murder)