News Analysis: Bush Determined to Remove Arafat From Leadership

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Monday, July 01, 2002

News Analysis: Bush Determined to Remove Arafat From Leadership

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U.S. President George W. Bush unveiled on June 24 a much-touted peace proposal to jump-start the Middle East peace process stalled by persistent bloody conflicts between the Israelis and Palestinians.

In the peace initiative, Bush set tough conditions for supporting a provisional Palestinian state, strongly suggesting that the Palestinians remove Yasser Arafat from the Palestinian leadership in exchange for U.S. support, a move widely seen by the international community as directed against Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.

Addressing the Summit of the Group of Eight in Calgary, Canada,on June 26, Bush publicly pressed for the removal of Arafat from the Palestinian leadership by warning that aid to the Palestinians would be cut off if they reelect him as their leader. Bush's remarks showed his determination to replace the Palestinian leader.

The present U.S. government has been at odds with the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) and minced no words to criticize it and Arafat himself, and has even gone so far as to accuse them of "encouraging terrorism."

After the terrorist attacks on the United States on September 11, 2001, Israel quickly allied itself with the United States in the latter's global war against terrorism, stepping up moves to crack down on Palestinian extremists whom Israel see as "terrorists." At the same time, the PNA and Arafat were accused by the United States of being reluctant to take actions against the "terrorists."

A small number of Palestinian extremists have launched frequent suicide bomb attacks against Israeli civilian targets -- actions smacking of terrorism. But when viewed in its proper perspective, what lies at the core of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict is a conflict between occupation and anti-occupation.

A solution to the bloody Israeli-Palestinian conflict has been long delayed with the two sides reluctant to go back to the negotiating table to restart the peace process. Israel's refusal to implement the U.N. Middle East Resolutions 242 and 338 calling on Israel to retreat to the borders before the 1967 Middle East War, and the principle of "land for peace" agreed at the Madrid peace talks has blocked the revival of the peace process.

Since Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon came to power, he has been pursuing a hard-line policy towards the Palestinians. He wants security for Israel, but refuses to hand out the Palestinian land at the same time. He resorts to force to quell the fight of the Palestinians for their land.

To a great extent, Bush's determination to squeeze Arafat out reflects the political will of Sharon, who never disguises his hate toward Arafat and has publicly regretted not having physically "liquidated" Arafat in the 1982 Lebanon war. As Israel' s prime minister, Sharon, refusing to meet Arafat, turned his spearhead at Arafat following a series of escalating bloody conflicts between Israelis and Palestinians.

Israeli troops bombed out Arafat's office compounds and special plane, attacked his presidential guards and repeatedly blockaded Arafat in his house, posing serious threats to Arafat's life. But Washington has repeatedly expressed its "understanding" of Sharon' s policies and actions.

In the interest of the global anti-terror campaign, the Bush administration decided to intervene more intensely in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. As a result, Sharon visited the United States several times at the invitation of the White House. Bush discussed with Sharon issues of common concern, but never met Arafat or called him by phone. Reports say it was during Sharon's last trip to America that Bush decided to abandon Arafat.

Pushing Arafat out of the Middle East peace process by Sharon's will gives another evidence for the U.S. persistent stand of "favoring Israel and pressing Palestine," as Tel Aviv has been Washington's most reliable ally in the Middle East while Jews wield great clout in the U.S. political and economic life.

Moreover, Americans will hold mid-term elections this autumn, which will produce a great impact on the next presidential race. Busy canvassing voters for the Republican congressmen and state governor candidates, Bush made up his mind, his policy tilting in favor of Sharon but not Arafat out of his political need.

In his new Middle East peace plan, Bush promised to offer support for establishing a provisional Palestinian state. The international community welcomes Bush's such remarks, but questions Bush's intention to remove Arafat as Palestinian leader.

Many countries, including Washington's allies, maintain that it is the Palestinians' own affairs to choose their leaders and no other countries have any right to meddle in. What's more, Arafat has been leading his people in the fight against Israel's occupation for a very long time and has become a symbol of Palestine's national cause and a worldwide recognized Palestinian leader.

Therefore, a huge question mark remains over whether Bush's dream of kicking Arafat out of the game could come true.

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