Recently Foreign Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has been calling for PLO leader Yasser Arafat's expulsion. In fact, at a Likud party convention (November 12), Netanyahu promised, if elected Prime Minister, one of the first things he would do is expel Arafat. Many on the Right in Israel over the last couple of years, have called for Arafat's expulsion. The Yesha (Judea, Samaria and Gaza) Council, about a year ago, organized a rally in Jerusalem with the slogan, "Expel Arafat, Fight Terror". But there are contrary opinions. For example, Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz agrees with Prime Minister Ariel Sharon that it isn't worth risking good relations with the United States, and has stated his opposition to expelling Arafat.
There are other voices, voices of commentators and politicians who neither want Arafat expelled, nor left alone. What comes to mind are those who have said recently that Arafat should be tried for murder (Alan Dershowitz - "Put Arafat On Trial"), or put on trial like Eichmann (myself - "An Eichmann Trial For Arafat" and Effie Eitam of the National Religious Party), or simply killed. Effie Eitam, after calling for a trial, later moved to "Take him out and shoot him." Member of Knesset Michael Kleiner said that the army should have "bombed Arafat's compound in Ramallah with him inside." And Professor Steven Plaut ("The Case For Killing Arafat") asks, "So what does Israel have to lose from killing Arafat?"
Yet, the absolutely worst idea of the bunch (and I think leaving him alone is pretty bad) is expelling him. Why? Because once in 'exile' Arafat will be back where he started: free from under our control to campaign for a Palestinian State; free to play 'victim'; free to organize terror acts on a scale yet unknown. Imagine, for a moment, that Yasser Arafat will have totally free access to the media for interviews. Why should Israel give that to him? And what if, at a later date, a different type of government comes to power in Israel and brings Arafat back again (like Rabin did with Hamas in 1992-93)? Will we have to watch Arafat's triumphant return to 'Palestine' for the second time?
There is another solution.
Israel has not been too smart in dealing with Arafat. When Israel had him locked up in the Mukatah compound for months, the government should have cut all access to the media and visitors. Heck, in the middle ages, they would have just dumped him in the dungeon (if they didn't kill him). Locked away for years, without any sight or sound of him, new leaders would have arisen to fill the power vacuum. That's how to make him irrelevant. Contrast that to letting him roam free in 'exile'. The only value to sending him out of the country is if Israel intends to quietly 'bump him off', making it look like another Arab/Islamic state or terror group did it, and deny it later.
Let me state clearly, I don't support the 'extra-judicial' killing of Arafat. If an Israeli Prime Minister has the political strength and moral courage to 'exile' Arafat, if he's ready to 'take the heat' from the world for the sake of the Jewish People and Israel, then Yasser Arafat should be arrested and tried for crimes against Humanity (the Jewish People, Lebanese, Americans, and others). He should be tried in Jerusalem, like Eichmann was, and put to death. An example of how to deal with terrorism should be made of him, to the world, in the bright light of day, in the dawn of Israel's new beginning. For those a little squeamish among the readers of these lines, I want to remind you of an important truism: No matter how much the world screams foul, in two weeks, there are new headlines. So, don't worry.
No matter what else you may do, Mr. Prime Minister-to-be (whoever you may be), don't expel Arafat!
--------------------------------------------------------
Ariel Natan Pasko is an independent analyst and consultant. He holds a Master's Degree in International Relations and Policy Analysis.
There are other voices, voices of commentators and politicians who neither want Arafat expelled, nor left alone. What comes to mind are those who have said recently that Arafat should be tried for murder (Alan Dershowitz - "Put Arafat On Trial"), or put on trial like Eichmann (myself - "An Eichmann Trial For Arafat" and Effie Eitam of the National Religious Party), or simply killed. Effie Eitam, after calling for a trial, later moved to "Take him out and shoot him." Member of Knesset Michael Kleiner said that the army should have "bombed Arafat's compound in Ramallah with him inside." And Professor Steven Plaut ("The Case For Killing Arafat") asks, "So what does Israel have to lose from killing Arafat?"
Yet, the absolutely worst idea of the bunch (and I think leaving him alone is pretty bad) is expelling him. Why? Because once in 'exile' Arafat will be back where he started: free from under our control to campaign for a Palestinian State; free to play 'victim'; free to organize terror acts on a scale yet unknown. Imagine, for a moment, that Yasser Arafat will have totally free access to the media for interviews. Why should Israel give that to him? And what if, at a later date, a different type of government comes to power in Israel and brings Arafat back again (like Rabin did with Hamas in 1992-93)? Will we have to watch Arafat's triumphant return to 'Palestine' for the second time?
There is another solution.
Israel has not been too smart in dealing with Arafat. When Israel had him locked up in the Mukatah compound for months, the government should have cut all access to the media and visitors. Heck, in the middle ages, they would have just dumped him in the dungeon (if they didn't kill him). Locked away for years, without any sight or sound of him, new leaders would have arisen to fill the power vacuum. That's how to make him irrelevant. Contrast that to letting him roam free in 'exile'. The only value to sending him out of the country is if Israel intends to quietly 'bump him off', making it look like another Arab/Islamic state or terror group did it, and deny it later.
Let me state clearly, I don't support the 'extra-judicial' killing of Arafat. If an Israeli Prime Minister has the political strength and moral courage to 'exile' Arafat, if he's ready to 'take the heat' from the world for the sake of the Jewish People and Israel, then Yasser Arafat should be arrested and tried for crimes against Humanity (the Jewish People, Lebanese, Americans, and others). He should be tried in Jerusalem, like Eichmann was, and put to death. An example of how to deal with terrorism should be made of him, to the world, in the bright light of day, in the dawn of Israel's new beginning. For those a little squeamish among the readers of these lines, I want to remind you of an important truism: No matter how much the world screams foul, in two weeks, there are new headlines. So, don't worry.
No matter what else you may do, Mr. Prime Minister-to-be (whoever you may be), don't expel Arafat!
--------------------------------------------------------
Ariel Natan Pasko is an independent analyst and consultant. He holds a Master's Degree in International Relations and Policy Analysis.