Palestinians vow to defend Arafat

PALESTINIANS yesterday vowed to defend Yasser Arafat with their lives as Israel came under fierce international criticism for its threat to “remove” the Palestinian leader.

Israeli leaders, who say Arafat is an obstacle to peace, left their statements intentionally vague and put off immediate action to avoid a direct clash with the United States, leave their options open and keep the Palestinian chief wary and guessing.

Israel appeared to pull back yesterday from any immediate operation, leaving lookout positions atop two buildings overlooking Arafat’s battered compound in the West Bank town of Ramallah.

The 74-year-old Palestinian leader was defiant, declaring before thousands of supporters on Thursday night that no one will “kick me out”. The Israeli threats only seemed to bolster Arafat, who has been trapped in his office for a year-and-a-half by Israel.

Again yesterday, crowds of a few thousand people turned out in West Bank cities, saying they were ready to die defending Arafat.

Reacting to two Palestinian suicide bombings that killed 15 Israelis this week in a Jerusalem cafe and outside an army base near Tel Aviv, Israel’s

security cabinet on Thursday declared Arafat a complete obstacle to peace.

“Israel will work to remove this

obstacle in the manner, at the time, and in the ways that will be decided on separately,” it said.

That wording makes room for several options: deporting Arafat, capturing him or killing him. The Haaretz daily, however, reported that when Defence Minister Shaul Mofaz talked of killing Arafat during the cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon asked him not to use that language.

The immediate effect of the Israeli decision was an outpouring of Palestinian support for the embattled leader. Thousands of demonstrators poured into streets in the West Bank and Gaza, with some men firing rifles into the air. Loudspeakers broadcast Arafat’s voice.

In a phonecall yesterday, US Secretary of State Colin Powell told Palestinian Foreign Minister Nabil Shaath that the US pressed Israel to call off any immediate move to oust Arafat, Shaath said.

“Mr Powell told me the US acted effectively yesterday to stop any Israeli measure,” Shaath said.

Powell also assured him the United States would push Israel to meet key commitments of the stalled road map peace plan, in particular withdrawing forces from Palestinian cities and freezing settlement activity, Shaath said.

Countries around the globe condemned the Israeli declaration. Britain, France, Russia, Germany and Italy warned expelling Arafat would be an error and the Arab League said Israel had in effect declared war on the peace process. The EU said such a move would not be helpful.

“We believe it would be a terrible mistake that would have serious consequences across the whole region,” EU spokesman Diego Ojeda said.

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak said removing Arafat could have dramatic consequences. Mubarak told an Italian newspaper this week Egypt would offer Arafat asylum if Israel expels him. Britain said Israel should not let anger cloud its judgment.

“I urge Israel not to allow justified anger at the continuing violence to lead to actions that will undermine the peace process and Israel’s interests,” Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said.