Death of Yasser Arafat - A turning point in the Middle East

IN the aftermath of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat’s death, the big question is whether his passing will open a window of opportunity for peace or trigger further anarchy in the Middle East.

Ominously, the growing fear is that internecine strife may inflame the region, miring Israel in an interminable spiral of violence and engulfing other Arab states.

This is not scaremongering. Seasoned observers believe it will be nigh on impossible to fill the vacuum left by the demise of such an iconic figure.