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| Middle East |
| Yasser in eighth day of siege... |
| 2002-09-28 |
| On the eighth day of his siege, Palestinian President-for-Life Yasser Arafat (1929-2002?) showed no sign of backing down, as one of his advisers predicted far-right Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon would give up on his demand for the handing over of some 20 of his Palestinian Authority and security forces holed up with their President in the Ramallah Headquarters. "The Israelis will have to withdraw in a couple of days from the Muqataa and finish the siege," Bassam Abu Sharif told AFP. That's not something he wants to do... We'll see who can hold out the longest. "Sharon knows he cannot blow up the building because that will be a catastrophe for Israel," and its image abroad, he said, suggesting Washington would eventually pressure the occupation army into lifting the siege on the Palestinian President. That's what they're counting on... Powell probably knows they're counting on him. Sounds like it's time for a trip to Budapest, or Helsinki, so he's not there to answer the phone... Israeli tanks stormed the compound September 19, and the siege has prompted a flow of condemnations from the international community and even a rare rebuke from the United States. None of which is unexpected... Sickness among the 73-year-old President’s 250-strong Authority and security forces was reported Thursday, as living conditions continued to deteriorate in Arafat's crumbling office, the only building still standing in the devastated Ramallah Headquarters. "Yasser, can I go home? I have a stomick ache!" |
| Posted by:Fred Pruitt |