Yet another canceled meeting: In a last-minute development, Syrian President Assad\'s office announced late this morning that the President does not have time today to meet with Arafat. The scheduled meeting was to have been an icebreaker following years in which Syria and the Palestinians have had no contacts. In the words of a Palestinian source, \"At the last minute, the Syrians decided, in a disgraceful and childish manner, to spit in Arafat\'s face.\"
Arab affairs expert Dr. Yossi Olmert told Arutz-7 today, \"The Syrians would like to hear some juicy anti-Israel statements from Arafat, but although he is a long-time terrorist and war criminal, he is feeling pressure from all sides these days and it is simply not in his interest to make statements of that nature at present. Under these circumstances, the Syrians don\'t want to meet him.\" Olmert said that the Syrians literally showed Arafat the door in 1983, and that since then he has never been back - except for the funerals of Hafez Assad and one or two terrorist leaders.
Arab affairs expert Dr. Yossi Olmert told Arutz-7 today, \"The Syrians would like to hear some juicy anti-Israel statements from Arafat, but although he is a long-time terrorist and war criminal, he is feeling pressure from all sides these days and it is simply not in his interest to make statements of that nature at present. Under these circumstances, the Syrians don\'t want to meet him.\" Olmert said that the Syrians literally showed Arafat the door in 1983, and that since then he has never been back - except for the funerals of Hafez Assad and one or two terrorist leaders.