Thousands of Palestinians rally for Arafat

WORLD CAPITALS, September 12 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) - Israel's decision to expel Yasser Arafat has drawn warnings from around the world that the move would threaten the Middle East peace process, as Palestinians vowed to fight to the death to protect their veteran leader.

The Israeli security cabinet approved in principle Thursday night the expulsion of Arafat as a rapid response to two bombings earlier in the week.

According to an Israeli government source, the decision had effectively given a green light to the army to expel Arafat when it sees fit, though Israel has not said if, when or how it might act.

The decision sparked a spontaneous outpouring of support for the 74-year-old leader on the streets of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, with Arafat vowing he would never be taken alive, reported Agence France-Presse (AFP).

The Israeli decision also prompted firm condemnation from key global players, with the United States, France and Russia, three backers of the Middle East peace "roadmap", speaking out firmly against any move to expel Arafat.

A senior U.S. administration official said Washington will not work with Arafat but opposes expelling him because that would only give him "a wider international stage."

"Our position on this is well known, longstanding and unchanged," the official told AFP on condition of anonymity. "It is unhelpful and it is not the solution."

Asked whether the White House had communicated its objections to Israel, the official replied: "They understand our position; they know what we think about this."

A defiant Arafat, who has been confined to his headquarters in the West Bank town of Ramallah for the past 20 months, vowed: "No one can kick me out. They can kill me kill me with bombs but I will not leave."

China Warns Israel

In Beijing, China Friday, September 12, warned Israel against expelling Arafat, saying it will escalate tensions in the Middle East and hinder the peace process.

"President Arafat is the legitimate leader elected by the Palestinian people through elections," said the foreign ministry in a statement.

"The Israeli government's expelling of Yasser Arafat will further escalate tensions between Israel and Palestine and will not help the Middle East peace process.

"We hope Israel acts with caution and avoids a further deterioration of the situation."

“Serious” Mistake: Russia
   
In Moscow, Russia said Friday that Israel’s move to expel Arafat would be a "serious political mistake with the most negative consequences".

"Such a step would remove the possibility of peacefully resolving the Israeli-Palestinian crisis and would lead to an uncontrollable chain of events in the worst case scenario," said a statement from Russia's foreign ministry.

"Only through cooperation can we end the terror and the other manifestations of violence and return to the roadmap," the statement said.

Russia, along with the European Union, United Nations and the United States, are the co-authors of the peace roadmap for the region, which sees an independent Palestinian state alongside a secure Israel by 2005.

“Grave Error”: French FM   

"Yasser Arafat is the legitimate authority of the Palestinian Authority,” Chirac

In Paris, French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin warned late Thursday that Israel's declared intention to expel Arafat would be a "grave error" which would lead to serious consequences for the region.

"The decision of the Israeli security cabinet to envisage Arafat's expulsion (would be) an action so extreme that it would be a grave error," he said in a statement released hours after the decision.

De Villepin called on Sharon to rescind the decision "in light of the consequences which (the expulsion) could not fail to have for the Palestinian territories, Israel and the whole region", as well as at the international level.

France once again stressed the need for all parties to adhere to the internationally backed "roadmap" to finding a peace settlement in the Middle East conflict, he said.

Malaysia Denounces Israel's Threat
   
In harsher words, Malaysia Friday denounced Israel's threat to expel Arafat and called on world powers to prevent it from being carried out.

"Such a move will not possibly help to attain peace because Israel appears to be increasingly arrogant in its actions," Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar said.

Malaysia hoped the United States, Russia, the United Nations and the European Union would convene a meeting to stop Israel from proceeding with the move, the official Bernama news agency reported.

"We will be getting together, or writing a letter to the United Nations to see that stronger action is taken in order to prevent continuous acts of violence and deterrence of the peace process," Syed Hamid was quoted as saying.

Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, who has headed this mainly-Muslim Southeast Asian nation for the past 22 years, is a strong supporter of the Palestinians and the country has no diplomatic relations with Israel.

Indonesia Condemns Israel's Decision
   
Also Indonesia, the world's largest Muslim-populated nation, Friday condemned Israel's decision in principle forcibly to expel Arafat.

"Such an act has the potential to destabilize the Middle East region even further and certainly would not be conducive to the promotion of the peace process there," Foreign Ministry spokesman Marty Natalegawa told AFP.

He said Arafat has played a "crucial role" in efforts to reach peace in the region.

Australia
   
Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said Friday that Israel will turn Arafat into a "martyr" if it carries out its threat to expel the Palestinian leader from his Ramallah headquarters.

Downer said Australia would be expressing its opposition to the decision in principle to expel Arafat.

"To remove Yasser Arafat altogether would, I think, make him a martyr," Mr Downer told national radio. "I think the Israelis would be well advised to leave Yasser Arafat in place and to deal as best they possibly can with the new Palestinian prime minister, who is well known to us and is a very good man."

Palestinian prime minister-designate Ahmed Qorei threatened to call off efforts to form a new government after the Israeli decision. Arafat has been confined to his headquarters in the West Bank town of Ramallah for the last 20 months.

Downer criticized Arafat for failing to disarm what he called “terror groups” – in reference to armed Palestinian groups resisting the Israeli occupation forces - in the Palestinian territories and to stop bombings in Israel.

"I think Yasser Arafat has had a great opportunity to become a truly great historical figure in being one of those who delivered peace to the Middle East," Downer said. "He has not taken up that opportunity."

Canada Concerned   

Canada also said Thursday that Israel's threat to remove Arafat could destabilize peace efforts.

"Canada is concerned that expelling Yasser Arafat would not benefit the peace process and have a negative impact on constructive Palestinian interlocutors," Foreign Minister Bill Graham's spokeswoman, Marie-Christine Lilkoff, said.

"We are concerned that the decision to expel Yasser Arafat could result in unforeseen consequences," she said.

Lilkoff said Graham had conveyed these concerns to Israeli immigration minister Tzipi Livni during a call Thursday.

"We are aware of the reports that the Israeli Security Cabinet has agreed in principle to expel Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and that the Israeli army has been asked to draw up a plan for his expulsion.

"It is not yet clear what this means in practice."

Palestinians Rally For Arafat

On the ground, Arafat was hailed by thousands of supporters as he ventured out of his headquarters after the cabinet decision.

He was carried on a chair by his bodyguards, blew kisses and gave the victory sign after up to 3,000 supporters entered the Muqataa complex.

"With our blood and our souls we will support you, Abu Ammar," the crowd chanted, using Arafat's nom de guerre.

Arafat also joined in the chanting over a loudhailer when they chanted: "With our blood and our souls we will support you Palestine."

More than 5,000 people also took to the streets in central Gaza City to demonstrate their support for Arafat after Islamic and nationalist factions had urged them by loudspeaker to gather.

Hundreds of gunmen opened fire into the air, shouting "Sharon go to hell", "Abu Ammar we will defend you forever" and "Revenge, Revenge".

Jewish Group Supports Decision

In contrast to the position of the whole world, a major Jewish lobby in the United States strongly backed the idea of expulsion.

"Yasser Arafat has destroyed every possibility of every peace process, and Europe is fooling itself by playing games with Arafat and repeating the mantra that he is leader of the Palestinian Authority," said Rabbi Marvi Hier, dean of the influential Simon Wiesenthal Center in Los Angeles.

"He may be a Nobel Peace Prize winner, but he is one who is dancing with terrorists and suicide bombers," Hier said, rounding on French President Jacques Chirac for saying it would be a serious mistake to sideline Arafat.

Chirac, speaking from Spain before the Israeli decision, had said "Yasser Arafat is the legitimate authority" of the Palestinian Authority.

"I think, and I believe the European Union also considers that it would be a serious mistake to try to eliminate him from the political arena," said Chirac.