Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has hatched a plan to launch a war against Syria, assassinate Yasser Arafat, crush the Palestinian Authority and kill Hizballah head, Hussein Nasrallah, according to the Jordanian weekly Al-Jazira. The war against Syria is to be carried out, on Sharon?s orders, before the end of the year. At present, continues the Jordanian correspondent, the only force which restrained the Israelis from attacking in June was the USA, which was not interested in a war at the time. However, the Arafat and Nasrallah assassination plans are slated to be put into effect in the next three months.
In contrast, Sunday?s Kuwaiti daily Al- Rai Al-Am quoted Palestinian sources in London as saying that the Israeli government intends to physically distance Arafat from the West Bank and Gaza. According to the newspaper report, Prime Minister Sharon has apparently been advised that the results of preventing Arafat from entering Palestine will be of less PR damage to Israel than assassinating him. However, it could be understood from the report that the explosive nature of the current situation may lead to an Israeli strike at Arafat himself.
In contrast, Sunday?s Kuwaiti daily Al- Rai Al-Am quoted Palestinian sources in London as saying that the Israeli government intends to physically distance Arafat from the West Bank and Gaza. According to the newspaper report, Prime Minister Sharon has apparently been advised that the results of preventing Arafat from entering Palestine will be of less PR damage to Israel than assassinating him. However, it could be understood from the report that the explosive nature of the current situation may lead to an Israeli strike at Arafat himself.