In an interview with Voice of Israel radio this morning, Israel\'s Public Security Minister Uzi Landau pointed out that Arafat never called for an end to terrorism against Israel in his Id al-Fitr (end of Ramadan) speech last night on local Arab television. Landau stressed that what is more important now is not what Arafat says, but what action he takes in putting a halt to terrorist activity.
Other highlights from the Landau interview:
\"Arafat is a pathological liar. He has not done anything to keep his promises over the last eight years. Every time he speaks, the opposite occurs. We know that he is not lying only when he doesn\'t open his mouth.\"
\"What I expect from Arafat now is to take action against those who are perpetrators of terrorist activity. If he has the chutzpah (gall) to speak, he should use the opportunity to outlaw terrorist organizations such as the PLFP, Hamas, Islamic Jihad and then take drastic action against them and against those in his own Tanzim and Force 17 who carry out terrorist activities.\"
\"Arafat thinks that we are suckers, but Israelis have woken up since the Dolphinarium massacre in Tel-Aviv. Many Israelis have been murdered since then. We need to start dealing with Arafat, similar to the way that President Bush is dealing with Bin Laden, Al-Qaeda, and the Taliban.\"
\"Arafat and the Palestinian Authority must stop inciting their children to carry out violence against Israel. They must begin re-educating their children by teaching them the value of peace, as we have been teaching the Israeli children in our schools\"
Other reactions to the Arafat speech:
Israeli President Moshe Katsav said that Arafat is still not a partner for peace. Katsav was quoted on Army radio saying, \"When someone\'s checks bounce once and then a second time, you have to stop extending credit and only accept cash.\"
The Council for Jewish Communities in Yesha (Judea, Samaria, and Gaza) released a statement that Arafat was and remains a terrorist, and no words or statements will change that fact. The Yesha Council continues to demand the expulsion of Arafat, the dismantling of the PA, and the restoration of order and security by Israeli forces, which must once again take responsibility for security in what are now PA areas throughout Yesha.
US National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice said the time has come for PA leader Yasser Arafat to stop making statements and begin taking some action in a positive direction. The senior US official called on Arafat to begin to dismantle terrorist organizations that operate in PA areas and bring an end to the ongoing terrorist attacks.
Other highlights from the Landau interview:
\"Arafat is a pathological liar. He has not done anything to keep his promises over the last eight years. Every time he speaks, the opposite occurs. We know that he is not lying only when he doesn\'t open his mouth.\"
\"What I expect from Arafat now is to take action against those who are perpetrators of terrorist activity. If he has the chutzpah (gall) to speak, he should use the opportunity to outlaw terrorist organizations such as the PLFP, Hamas, Islamic Jihad and then take drastic action against them and against those in his own Tanzim and Force 17 who carry out terrorist activities.\"
\"Arafat thinks that we are suckers, but Israelis have woken up since the Dolphinarium massacre in Tel-Aviv. Many Israelis have been murdered since then. We need to start dealing with Arafat, similar to the way that President Bush is dealing with Bin Laden, Al-Qaeda, and the Taliban.\"
\"Arafat and the Palestinian Authority must stop inciting their children to carry out violence against Israel. They must begin re-educating their children by teaching them the value of peace, as we have been teaching the Israeli children in our schools\"
Other reactions to the Arafat speech:
Israeli President Moshe Katsav said that Arafat is still not a partner for peace. Katsav was quoted on Army radio saying, \"When someone\'s checks bounce once and then a second time, you have to stop extending credit and only accept cash.\"
The Council for Jewish Communities in Yesha (Judea, Samaria, and Gaza) released a statement that Arafat was and remains a terrorist, and no words or statements will change that fact. The Yesha Council continues to demand the expulsion of Arafat, the dismantling of the PA, and the restoration of order and security by Israeli forces, which must once again take responsibility for security in what are now PA areas throughout Yesha.
US National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice said the time has come for PA leader Yasser Arafat to stop making statements and begin taking some action in a positive direction. The senior US official called on Arafat to begin to dismantle terrorist organizations that operate in PA areas and bring an end to the ongoing terrorist attacks.