'Arafat could have been assassinated by Israel at anytime'

Calling Yasser Arafat the man who inspired modern "mega-terrorism", Israel's UN ambassador said his country could have assassinated the Palestinian leader at any time if it wanted to.

“Had Israel wanted to kill Yasser Arafat, it could have done so 3,000 times,” Israeli envoy Dan Gillerman said as debate raged on a Security Council resolution demanding that Israel drop its threat to assassinate Arafat or expel him from his West Bank compound.

Israel’s government last week resolved to “remove” Arafat from the scene one way or another.

But yesterday, Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom backtracked on Vice Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s remark a day earlier that killing Arafat was an option.

Representatives from more than 40 countries spoke before the Security Council in an all-day open debate, nearly all condemning Israel’s threats against Arafat and also calling for an end to terrorist attacks.

Syria had intended to push a draft resolution to a quick vote but was persuaded by other council members to amend it and send it to a vote, possibly today, said British Ambassador Sir Emyr Jones Parry, serving as this month’s council president.

A new draft being circulated to council members added stronger language condemning Israel’s targeted assassinations of militant leaders and Palestinian suicide bombings, “all of which caused enormous suffering and many innocent victims.”

The new language appeared aimed at providing more even-handedness in the resolution to gain the support of Britain and Germany and to assure that the United States would abstain rather than veto the resolution, council diplomats said

After yesterday’s meeting, Sir Emyr said that “council members expressed their concern to send a strong and united message to the parties involved.”