Ministers enraged over Fatah declaration on Arafat
Government members say Fatah congress' unanimous decision to blame Israel for former PA leader's death proves Palestinians are not interested in peace talks. 'Negotiations on Mars have a better chance of materializing than talks in our region,' says Shas Chairman Yishai
Ministers responded Thursday to a statement made during the Fatah congress, which declared that Israel was responsible for the death of former Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat.
Transportation Minister Yisrael Katz (Likud), a close associate of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, told Ynet in response to the declaration, "Those who desire war shall get war. The Fatah congress and its decision on Arafat proved that Abu Mazen (Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas) is not a leader, but rather is led towards delusional and extremist opinions about Israel."
Yishai added that the Palestinian leadership was attempting to appease extremists and thus supporting terror. "The decision is pathetic and testifies as to the Palestinians' intentions. There is no room for any negotiation here," he said.
Information Minister Yuli Edelstein said that "the hallucinatory attempt to blame Israel for Arafat's assassination and perpetuate him as a martyr is aimed at justifying the Palestinians' ongoing armed struggle against Israel, which is extending its hand in peace to them."
The 2,300 representatives meeting in Bethlehem this week voted unanimously in favor of the decision, and determined that a Palestinian inquiry commission headed by Arafat's nephew, Nasser al-Kidwa, would be appointed to probe the matter.
The congress also called for an international commission to investigate the circumstances of Arafat's death.
'Palestinians revealed their true colors'
Minister Katz, who had already spoken out against the congress before it had convened, added to his enraged response that Israel's government should announce that the Palestinians will not be considered partners for peace talks "until the decision is withdrawn and the Palestinians announce their intention to recognize Israel as a Jewish state and cede the right of return"."Seeing as the Palestinians have revealed their true colors, Israel should toughen its stance on security except for gestures towards them," Katz added. "Abu Mazen and his friends have proved with this decision, as with their renewed cry for armed resistance against Israel, that they don't want peace but are looking for any way to destroy Israel as a Jewish state."
Arafat died in the end of 2004. In October of that year his physical condition dramatically deteriorated, and shortly afterwards – with Israel's authorization – he was transferred to a French military hospital.
The former Palestinian leader spent two weeks in isolation in the hospital, and received visits only from his wife, Suha, and a few aides, under tight security. The lack of credible information on Arafat's condition led to various rumors, and his death was announced a number of times.