On Thursday, I waited with bated breath for the announcement of a new Jewish holiday - namely, the end of Yasser Arafat.
Alas, Yasser once again put his bad manners on display for the world to watch. He could not die quickly and quietly. He insists on dragging out his death.
It is even worse than that. First he has the flu. Then he has a problem with his blood. Leukemia is suspected. Then he has leukemia. He doesn't have leukemia. As of Monday morning, he is feeling much better.
If he will not be dead soon, he is certainly dead politically. Yet, since he has improved, maybe he will return to rule.
Yasser is keeping us on edge, which is vintage Yasser. That is what he has always done - keep us guessing. Whether by design or accident, he is doing exactly that with his illness, whatever that is.
The meaning is simple: absolutely nothing has changed. Israel still has no negotiating partner for peace.
If Arafat dies or is completely sidelined by incapacity, that can only help Israel. An end to Arafat's role, at least politically, is only good news for Israel. Of course, it does not mean that Israel will have someone to work with among the Arabs in Gaza and the West Bank.
Arafat is a human obstruction to any chance for peace whatsoever. We know his history. He has regularly changed his stripes and spoke out of both sides of his mouth. He rebuffed Ehud Barak's offer, which would certainly have improved the lot of his people, facilitated a war that claimed 4,000 lives, and stole millions, if not billions, of dollars intended to help his brethren.
If Arafat remains in power, the status quo for his people will remain. He will not control terrorism and will continue to leave his people in poverty.
His departure from the scene will offer an opening for a relationship, but only that. What happens afterward will depend entirely upon his lieutenants, other officials in government and the Gaza and West Bank Arabs themselves.
There is little reason to be optimistic. Israel's territories are threatened by civil war, which is entirely possible. Moreover, many Arabs regard Arafat as an icon at best and a god at worst. There are good people who play important political roles there, but it certainly looks like their best efforts will be overwhelmed by the fanaticism of their own people.
These comments carried by the Washington Post typify the views of many Arabs. Said Iyad Murar in Ramallah: "There's nobody like him, and nobody will replace him."
Added Mohammed Rajoub, "He left us. Who is going to take care of us? Who is going to listen to us?"
Murar worships him, but at least Rajoub questions who will "take care of us" - as if Arafat ever lifted a finger to "take care of us." There are people who are willing to help Rajoub - if he lets them. What are the chances of that?
Alas, Yasser once again put his bad manners on display for the world to watch. He could not die quickly and quietly. He insists on dragging out his death.
It is even worse than that. First he has the flu. Then he has a problem with his blood. Leukemia is suspected. Then he has leukemia. He doesn't have leukemia. As of Monday morning, he is feeling much better.
If he will not be dead soon, he is certainly dead politically. Yet, since he has improved, maybe he will return to rule.
Yasser is keeping us on edge, which is vintage Yasser. That is what he has always done - keep us guessing. Whether by design or accident, he is doing exactly that with his illness, whatever that is.
The meaning is simple: absolutely nothing has changed. Israel still has no negotiating partner for peace.
If Arafat dies or is completely sidelined by incapacity, that can only help Israel. An end to Arafat's role, at least politically, is only good news for Israel. Of course, it does not mean that Israel will have someone to work with among the Arabs in Gaza and the West Bank.
Arafat is a human obstruction to any chance for peace whatsoever. We know his history. He has regularly changed his stripes and spoke out of both sides of his mouth. He rebuffed Ehud Barak's offer, which would certainly have improved the lot of his people, facilitated a war that claimed 4,000 lives, and stole millions, if not billions, of dollars intended to help his brethren.
If Arafat remains in power, the status quo for his people will remain. He will not control terrorism and will continue to leave his people in poverty.
His departure from the scene will offer an opening for a relationship, but only that. What happens afterward will depend entirely upon his lieutenants, other officials in government and the Gaza and West Bank Arabs themselves.
There is little reason to be optimistic. Israel's territories are threatened by civil war, which is entirely possible. Moreover, many Arabs regard Arafat as an icon at best and a god at worst. There are good people who play important political roles there, but it certainly looks like their best efforts will be overwhelmed by the fanaticism of their own people.
These comments carried by the Washington Post typify the views of many Arabs. Said Iyad Murar in Ramallah: "There's nobody like him, and nobody will replace him."
Added Mohammed Rajoub, "He left us. Who is going to take care of us? Who is going to listen to us?"
Murar worships him, but at least Rajoub questions who will "take care of us" - as if Arafat ever lifted a finger to "take care of us." There are people who are willing to help Rajoub - if he lets them. What are the chances of that?