[(Continued from p.6)]
tion of Palestine turned into a celebration of national unity. During the ceremony, in which the Palestinian Authority and political groups (national and Islamic), as well as public works organizations, stressed their adherence to national unity and to the supreme interest of our people.[In attendance were] Ahmed Abed Al-Rahman--who attended as President Yasser Arafat's representative--political and public figures, in addition to the leadership, top echelons and members of the Popular Front."Aafat's representative, Cabinet Secretary Ahmed Abed Al-Rahman reiterated the statements made in Arafat's speech regarding the Palestinian Authority's concern for the security, welfare and continuity of all the factions, and said that he views all the aggression against them as aggression against the Palestinian Authority.
"The Cabinet Secretary discussed the circumstances and changes in the international arena, and their influence on the Palestinian question and on the national struggle. He said that in spite of the hard line that has been adopted, [the international arena is being handled] with wisdom and caution, in order to foil the conspiracy of Sharon and his American allies."
[PA official daily, Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, Dec. 23, 2001]
This appeared in the Palestinian Media Watch Bulletin of December 23, 2001.
Over the last few days, dozens of Israelis were murdered in a series of terrorist attacks carried out by Palestinian terrorist organizations operating from territories under the control of the Palestinian Authority. Several of the attacks were carried out by or with the direct collaboration of Fatah, a terrorist organization headed by Yassir Arafat, chairman of the Palestinian Authority. All the attacks were organized by terrorist leaders known by the Palestinian Authority to have carried out past acts of terrorism. All of the attacks were carried out by terrorist organizations given a green light by Yassir Arafat and the Palestinian Authority to continue their terrorist war against Israel.
We, the government of Israel, view Yassir Arafat and the Palestinian Authority as directly responsible for these terrorist crimes. As we did on October 18 following the Palestinian murder of Tourism Minister Rehavam Zeevi, and as we did on June 2 following the Palestinian murder of 18 Israeli children in Tel Aviv's Dolphinarium, we reiterate that Israel holds the Palestinian Authority responsible for the terrorism and violence. The government has determined that the Palestinian Authority and its chairman Yassir Arafat are engaged in terrorism and have established a terrorist infrastructure. Israel has no choice but to draw the necessary security and political conclusions.
Terrorism is abominable. Perpetrators of terrorist attacks cannot be condoned or rewarded. Israel reminds the Palestinian Authority that fourteen months have elapsed since then-Prime Minister Ehud Barak's 48-hour ultimatum to the Palestinian Authority to cease its violence "or else." Time is running out.
The Israeli government has therefore decided to blow up several empty Palestinian buildings as a preliminary step towards holding several press conferences in which Israeli ministers will direct uncomplimentary remarks at Yassir Arafat. Given the clear terrorist record of Yassir Arafat and the Palestinian Authority, the Israeli government will continue to strive to revive negotiations with Yassir Arafat with the aim of creating an independent state of Palestine bordering Israel's largest cities, from which Arafat can carry out terrorist activity without Israeli interference. Additionally, the Israeli government will make several belligerent statements aimed at showing the Israeli public that while no concrete steps will be taken to uproot the terrorist infrastructure of the Palestinian Authority, Israel has not lost its ability to make empty threats.
The Israeli government calls upon the Israeli people to recall that Sharon was elected by the Israeli people to maintain his and Peres' political offices, and not to promote the security of Israeli citizens.
The Israeli government calls upon the international community to continue promoting, together with Yassir Arafat, the falsehood that the Palestinian Authority is struggling against terrorism and to continue to hide the evident truth that the Palestinian Authority is itself a terrorist organization.
The Israeli government authorizes Shimon Peres to continue his efforts in the United States and Europe to legitimize Yassir Arafat, to advance the political cause of the Palestinian Authority and to fight any anti-terrorism efforts that would weake,n the Palestinian Authority. The Israeli government calls upon the Israeli people to recall that Ariel Sharon was elected by the Israeli people to maintain his and Shimon Peres' political offices, and not to promote the security of the citizens of Israel.
Avi Bell is a graduate student at Harvard University. This communique is translated from the original diplomatiquese.
January 2002 - 7 - Outpost