Comment: And then? Was there a complete plan for the operation at Arafat's
HQ?

Aaron Lerner Date: 23 September 2002

2:00 AM Monday - exhausted Palestinians in Arafat's HQ were stunned as elite
Israeli forces pulled Yasser Arafat from his office after an operation that
kept them sleepless for over 48 years. After a quick check by an Israeli
medical officer , Arafat was flown to Eilat were he was loaded on his
infamous weapons ship, the Karine A and sent sailing. The last building in
the Ramallah compound was demolished after crates of documents and
contraband were carted off by the IDF. A team of translators is working
feverishly around the clock on this intelligence bonanza and the
international press was presented with a stunning display in Jerusalem of
illegal weapons and other equipment found in Arafat's offices. In response
to Palestinian claims that the equipment had not in fact been discovered in
Ramallah the IDF Spokespersons office released a film showing the capture of
some of the more controversial equipment (highlights are available on the
IDF website). Some local Palestinian officials declared that while they
remain loyal to Arafat that they were first and foremost loyal to the
Palestinian people and would work to serve their interests.

Unfortunately, this is not what happened.

Incredibly, the Sharon Administration embarked on an operation based on the
assertion that Israel had all the time in the world when in truth the
"window" was quite limited as demonstrated by the decision of the UN
Security Council to effectively give Israel a "window" that would close on
Monday with a meeting of the Council.

How did this happen? Why did the cabinet approve a plan that apparently
lacks a final page?

.

Dr. Aaron Lerner, Director IMRA (Independent Media Review & Analysis)

(mail POB 982 Kfar Sava)

Tel 972-9-7604719/Fax 972-3-7255730

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