In a rambling television interview that was stranger than
fiction, Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat said
that the PA had complete control over the situation in the
territories and that he had given explicit orders for
upholding a cease-fire. "Not only did we declare a cease-
fire, we stood by it and declared a state of emergency," he
said. He said he would jail any Palestinian who says
otherwise.
When asked why he did not declare an end to the intifadah,
Arafat responded that he had done so many times. "You are
doing me a great injustice. How many times have I made
arrests, declared an end to the killing, and declared a cease-
fire? How many times have I done this? The last time I did so
was after we condemned the crimes [the suicide bombings in
Jerusalem and Haifa]. We condemned those crimes and those
that came before them. Did we not arrest many Popular Front
for the Liberation of Palestine activists? Among those
arrested were political and military leaders." According to
Arafat, Hamas and Islamic Jihad were funded by Iran.
The Palestinian leader criticized the U.S., saying that it
was the U.S. that provided Israel with weapons used to attack
the Palestinians.
"Don't talk to me about the Americans," he told interviewer
Oded Granot. "The Americans stand by your side and give you
everything. Who gives you planes? The Americans! Who gives
you tanks? The Americans! Who gives you money? The
Americans!" Arafat said angrily.
In response to the claim that PA members said that they
received no clear military order for a cease-fire, Arafat,
showing his level of respect for civil liberties and freedom
of information, said: "Bring me whoever told you that, and I
will imprison him."
The Palestinian leader noted that he had cooperated with
Israel in stopping the suicide bombing, not because these
actions are detrimental to Israel, but rather to the
Palestinian nation. "We determined that the suicide bombings
are dangerous and are illegal," he said.
He claimed that the PA banned activities of factories that
produce mortars and that PA security forces closed such
factories in the Gaza Strip. "I invite you to visit the
factory. If there is an additional factory -- I'm on my way
to it," Arafat said.
In regard to the assassination of Tourism Minister Rechavam
Ze'evi, Arafat seemed confused, and said, "First of all,
those that killed Ze'ev Schiff [a Ha'aretz correspondent] . .
. Ze'evi, yes, Rechavam Ze'evi. I did not publicize evidence
because two members of the Cra'an family and one member of
the Alasmar family escaped from you. . . " Arafat asked.
Arafat accused Israeli leaders and the even the Israeli media
(sic!) of incitement against the Palestinian nation.
According to him, this caused the Israeli public loss of
faith in him and in the PA.
Arafat dismissed alleged claims by the Tanzim, including by
its leader Marwan Barghouti, that it would not uphold
agreements signed with Israel. "Who is Barghouti?" he
asked.
At the conclusion of the interview, the following exchange
took place between someone who was outside of the view of the
camera, but whose whispering voice was heard very clearly.
Anonymous Whisperer (AW): "Stretch out your hand in
peace!"
Arafat: "What?"
AW: "Say, `I stretch out my hand in peace.'"
Arafat then turns towards the camera and says: "I say to you
now, I stretch out my hand to the Israeli people, for the
sake of our children and for their children."
AW: "And I am ready to fulfill agreements. . . "
Arafat, towards the camera: "And I am ready to carry out what
was agreed upon in international agreements, and I am ready
to do what was agreed upon between me and the Israeli
leadership."
What a performance!
