Arafat dead (really)
Even though he’s been dead for an entire week Arafat died a couple of minutes ago.
[Update] HonestReporting on Arafat’s Legacy. (c/o Avi Flax)
[Update] Abbas elected PA chariman.
Even though he’s been dead for an entire week Arafat died a couple of minutes ago.
[Update] HonestReporting on Arafat’s Legacy. (c/o Avi Flax)
[Update] Abbas elected PA chariman.
And the AP plugged a story out in 2 seconds.
Aye aye.
This is the third “Arafat dead” story on Jewschool, but the first time I’ve seen it actually confirmed in other places. Maybe there’s a lesson in here about the news cycle in the internet age…
Oh, a comment. Since I have no idea what the consequences of this will be, I refuse to have a reaction of glee or dismay.
check out the http://www.cnn.com pic, complete with fancy inscription and flattering photoshop. asses.
Talk about your dramatic death scenes. Could this truly have lingered much longer.
Why is he called a leader? Why is even ONE American dignitary going to his funeral?
No, he was a terrorist…will Colin Powell go to Osama BL’s funeral?
all i can say is am yisroel chai
And Ariel Sharon is not also a “terrorist”?
What about Nelson Mandela, wasn’t he considered a “terrorist” but the world embraces him but at the same time, Mandela was responsible for killing innocenet people through his actions.
Wasn’t George Washington a “terrorist” who fought against the British, but we have peaceful relations with the British today.
Both Arafat and Sharon are responsible for killing many innocents men, women and children.
Someones terrorist is another freedom fighter. Someones terrorist is someones leader.
Sadly, both sides are crap and as such there will be no peace.
Hopefully Sharon will be replaced as well and then we may get some peace.
Let’s see Sam…
Arafat is responsible for the PLO mandate which to this day calls for the destruction of Israel. This violates the accord *HE* signed at Oslo.
Every single symbol for every PLO organization that includes a map contains ALL of Israel.
Arafat is the definition of terrorist, both against Israel and his “own people”. Own people being in quotes as Arafat was EGYPTIAN.
He attempted to overthrow the governments of two other countries in his “illustrious” career. He couldn’t give a crap about the people he was supposedly fighting for. All he wanted was to be the ruler of his own country by any means possible.
Comparing Arafat to Sharon and Nelson Mandela is pathetic. Those people did/do not intentionally murder innocents, innocents being Arafat’s prime and intentional targets.
Today is a good day.
As long as Arafat opposed the principle of Jewish national self-determination in Israel, he was widely regarded as the “sole and legitimate representative of the Palestinian people.” But on those rare occasions when he gave lip service to the two state solution, he was reviled as decrepit and corrupt by the likes of Edward Said, Rashid Khalidi, Ali Abunima and Noam Chomsky. There’s an epitaph in there somewhere.
One question about the “honest reporting” link. How can they label themselves “honest reporting” when they are so fucking propagandistic? Do they have absolutely zero self respect?
We may disagree with Arafat’s legacy, but real “honest reporting” would take that all into account. They could acknowledge his leadership and dedication to Palestinian self determination while highlighting his sometimes despicable tactics and political blunders. That would be “honest”. Claiming propaganda as the truth is not only a problem of the Arab world. It is deeply imbedded in our community as well. Until we deal with our own blindness and breeding of hate, we cannot address the similar problems in the arab world (and believe me, there are problems).
“Wasn’t George Washington a “terrorist” who fought against the British, but we have peaceful relations with the British today.”
Yes, it was about the time that George Washington raided a grade school in Manchester and tossed the children out the window that I became a confirmed loyalist to King George III.
I don’t know why this article doesn’t mention the possibility that everybody else — including, I’m sure, the journalist who wrote the article — is talking about: that Arafat died of complications from the AIDS virus.
http://msnbc.msn.com/id/6456528/
Yusul is outraged. Why?
“One question about the “honest reporting” link. How can they label themselves “honest reporting” when they are so fucking propagandistic? Do they have absolutely zero self respect?”
Unbelievable. A website that advocates a pint of view. No self respect. Fucking propagandistic. Blood pressure way up.
But Yasir Arafat? Peaches and cream. “We may disagree with Arafat’s legacy”. Yes we may. It’s a polite disagreement, you say tomato, I say etc. etc. “They could acknowledge his leadership and dedication to Palestinian self determination”. Why? Don’t the hundreds of millions of dollars er, appropriated by Arafat speak more eloquently about his dedication? “while highlighting his sometimes despicable tactics and political blunders”. Yes, the “sometimes” despicable tactics. Munich and Ma’alot may have been uncalled for, but some of the other murders were just dandy. You know, just like the rest of us, Yasir had his good days and his bad days.
“Until we deal with our own blindness and breeding of hate…”
So true. But the major blindness and hate being bred among Jews is self-hatred. And your’e damned right it should be dealt with. “Similar problems in the arab world”… yeah, just the same.
Yusul, care to tell us how you became this sick and twisted?
Just wanna point out that there’s another Sam around, apparently. I’m the one who usually posts here, not the one who posted that bit about one man’s freedom fighter being another’s terrorist.
So let me see George Washington was a terrorist.
A terrorist by general definition uses untraditional methods of combat, usually aimed at non-combatants, to spread fear (Terror) of themselves in order to achieve a political/military objective.
With forces that were smaller in number, less well equipt or trained, George Washington fought, what was at the time, the greatest military on Earth with traditiional military tactics. (The only real exception to this was the night crossing of the Delaware River in the dead of winter.) None of his tactics were aimed at non-combatants.
Yusul:
Where in the Hell are you coming from? I have no clue.
No matter how you want to cut it Yassir Arafat was a terrorist. He was also, allegedly, a thief. Stealing millions, or maybe billions, from his own people.
Hmm, sure J, love to tell the story. I became so “twisted” after I discovered that the Zionist education I had received in Hebrew School was covering up a complicated history. As a child I learned that the Jews are always right, and the Arabs are always wrong. As I learned more history I realized that lots of stuff about the founding of Israel and the maintenance of the occupation were not so pretty. I began to see the Jewish propaganda for what it was, propaganda. I call out Arab propaganda when I see it, but since Jewish propaganda is aimed squarely at me, I respond to it more. If “Honest Reporting” called itself “Zionist Reporting”, I would disagree with their analysis, but of course, they are welcome to voice it. It is facade of balance that covers over a biased perspective (just like my Zionist education) that frustrates me.
PS Don’t misunderstand me. Its not that his terrorist actions are sometimes despicable. They are ALWAYS despicable. It is that he built a national movement for self-determination in addition to being a terrorist. This does not excuse his disgusting tactics. It is, however, an “honest” portrayal of Arafat.
Sure he built a national movement for self-determination. The only problem with that is the core of that movement being the destruction of Israel. You are familiar with the PLO’s charter, right?
The honest portrayal of Arafat is that he turned down the offer of a role in the Jordanian leadership and attempted to overthrow both that country and Kuwait to make them “the Palestinian homeland”.
He couldn’t care less about the Palestinians, he just wanted a country to rule.
I fully agree with this assessment of Arafat. Now, if only the rest of you could extend this to Begin and Shamir…
Yusul:
I’m not at all surprised by your story. It may be the most common manner in which liberals/ leftists are created. Simpleminded history and civics in grade school and high school may have been a major ingredient in creating the 60’s explosion.
So, you grew up and found out that your grade school teachers were unreflective cheerleaders and/or simpletons. Congratulations. That’s step one. But you do realize that basing your views on a reaction to these people is not any more likely to get you to the truth than adopting their views wholesale would. Time for the next step. Analyze the facts without any prejudice (as much as is possible), and let the chips fall where they may. You may then be able to support Israel in a realistic way, without being naive. Certainly, when you show anger at a Zionist website but bend over backwards to defend a mass murderer, all in the same post, something is terribly wrong.
I realize the above may strike you as patronizing or condescending. All I can say is, that is not my intention.