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| Israel-Palestine-Jordan |
| Arafat mausoleum opened by Abbas |
| 2007-11-10 |
| Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has unveiled a mausoleum to former Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat in the West Bank town of Ramallah. Mr Abbas laid a wreath in the tomb, in the compound where Mr Arafat spent the last two years of his life. The mausoleum complex cost $2m (£1m) to build and includes a mosque. The commemoration is the first in a series of honours to mark the third anniversary of his death in a Paris hospital on 11 November 2004. 'Temporary' tomb The mausoleum measure 11 metres by 11 metres, to mark the day Mr Arafat died. His death followed a two-year siege of his compound by Israeli forces. Mr Arafat had been flown to Paris for treatment after weeks of mystery stomach pains. The tomb also includes a minaret which shines a laser beam towards Jerusalem, the city Palestinians want to become the capital of an independent state, said the BBC's correspondent Aleem Maqbool. Mr Abbas said he hoped Mr Arafat's body would one day be buried in Jerusalem. "We will continue on the path to set up the independent Palestinian state with [Jerusalem] as its capital, God willing," Mr Abbas said. The opening ceremony included Palestinian honour guards in navy green uniforms with golden epaulettes, with a brass band playing and prayers from a local imam. "The monument is built on a natural spring, and the water signifies that it is temporary, for it will be moved to Jerusalem after liberation," project supervisor Mohammed Ashtiyah was quoted by the AFP news agency as saying. The third anniversary of Mr Arafat's death comes towards the end of a divisive year in Palestinian politics, with the militant Islamist Hamas movement overthrowing the rule in Gaza of Mr Abbas's Fatah party, which Mr Arafat founded. On Sunday, a large rally is due to be held at the West Bank compound, and another held on Monday in Gaza. |
| Posted by:john frum |
| #8 Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has unveiled a mausoleum to former Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat in the West Bank town of Ramallah. Proof of Abbas' moral bankruptcy but we all knew that. |
| Posted by: Zenster 2007-11-10 23:49 |
| #7 A much better way to spend American tax dollars than for "armed wing" double dipper salaries... or Kassem rocket parts. I highly approve. If the locals spend all their dowry money on souvenir doodads instead of AK-47 bullets and more rocket parts, I'll approve even more. In fact, I think they should build more monuments to Fatah, Hamas and other worthies. First the ones who died nobly, then pro-actively for the ones who haven't died yet -- to make sure they'll be happy when they take a break from their virgins to look down from Paradise. Was it Ramses II who had to build a couple of pyramids before he got it just the way he wanted it? (Thank goodness he ruled for two generations!) |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2007-11-10 20:53 |
| #6 lol - but will we ever bear witness to the contents of the Dread Red Binder™? |
| Posted by: Frank G 2007-11-10 16:41 |
| #5 And an 11x11 meter video screen that plays a loop of the Hamas sex tape featuring Arafat and his "adviser". |
| Posted by: Canukistan 2007-11-10 16:34 |
| #4 Mr Arafat had been flown to Paris for treatment after weeks of mystery stomach pains. Uh-huh... |
| Posted by: tu3031 2007-11-10 15:01 |
| #3 The mausoleum complex cost $2m (£1m) to build and includes a mosque. So it has a toilet and a bidet. |
| Posted by: Icerigger 2007-11-10 14:40 |
| #2 "The tomb also includes a minaret which shines a laser beam towards Jerusalem" return the favor and add a JDAM |
| Posted by: Frank G 2007-11-10 14:24 |
| #1 "The tomb also includes a minaret which shines a laser beam towards Jerusalem" With any luck, it will attract a lightning strike. |
| Posted by: Darrell 2007-11-10 13:55 |