Post Arafat: Now What? by Arlene Peck

Arlene Peck

Post Arafat: Now What?

Arlene Peck

December 2004

Being an American journalist living in Los Angeles, I have always wondered what those in Israel are reading, when it comes to the region that they are living in. Recently, thanks to the organization, standwithus.com who consistently finds people to bring in of incredible insight, they gave us, on this side of the globe a view of what is really happening.

Yesterday, I was privileged to be invited to a brunch at the home of its executive director, Roz Rothstein and listen to an amazing award-winning Palestinian journalist, Khaled Abu Toameh who for the past thirty years has been based in Jerusalem.

He told us much of what I have been writing for the past several years. The international press cannot be trusted. It is bad enough that there is an innate hatred for the Jews and Israel from a great many of the foreign press. “They are not reporting the truth because it’s not ‘in’ to report the facts.”

Unfortunately, the Israeli and international public make it easy for them to get away with it. Most of the public in Israel seems to be going along with the “big lie” that Arafat built over the past fifty years.

I do not know how many times I, and journalists like Khaled Abu Toameh, must repeat; there is no window of opportunity or avenue of hope now that the evil king is dead! Everyone seems to be walking around in a state of delusion euphoria. We are so tired of the same old stories coming out of the terrorist’s camp that we want to believe that Arafat’s death is going to make the difference.

However, until there is a new era of political change with new faces, things are going to remain the same. Why are they thinking that the old faces are going to make the new changes? Now, nobody seems to be telling these Arabs and Islamic fundamentalists that their savage, barbaric behavior is not acceptable. Their leaders should not be legitimized by being invited to diplomatic conferences or promised anything, much less an independent state.

The same way that these Arab countries shouldn’t even be allowed into the United Nations unless they allow their own citizens the right to democracy and the right to vote, those living in Gaza shouldn’t be encouraged to do more violence by legitimatizing these irresponsible Arab leaders. Lord, even Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouti is running for president of the Palestinian Authority from an Israeli jail where he is serving five consecutive life sentences for killing five Israeli civilians in one of his many terrorist’s acts.

As a journalist, I know how easy it is to write ‘double-talk’ The Palestinians are masters of doing it. While they are saying, “We will follow in Arafat’s footsteps.” they talk to the press about “new beginnings.” So, while they are spouting hate-filled speeches to their population, the so-called leaders of Israel and foreign press and our State Department are repeating the same Oslo mistakes. Mistakes that can only result in a demand for Israel to commit suicide for peace.

As a journalist, I am probably privy to information, films and scenes that you who are reading this don’t see. That is why I find it chilling how they have managed to turn so much of the world into a cauldron of pre-Nazi events against the Jews. These people don’t want negotiation, peace or even sections of Israel. They want the entire country dead! Gone! The mistake that the left make is thinking that if they get their ‘State,’ the problems will go away. Repeat the mantra. They had and have a plan! We don’t!

Gawd, doesn’t anyone remember how Arafat diverted Arab anger to the Jews with pressure to give more... more... more! We, in the United States gave, the United Nations gave, the European Union gave, even Israel gave and it was never enough. So, while Arafat was diverting the anger of the masses against the Jews, with pressure we give, billions went into the hidden vaults for the untold wealth to end up in the shopping sprees of Shua and the foreign mansions of the old guard.

I have little doubt that had those misplaced billions gone into the right hands there would have been no “intafada” but Arafat and company could not allow that to happen. So, no hospitals were built, no schools, no factories. (except bombs). I always wondered why the PA needed a complex that was almost the size of the Pentagon, but the population still lived in hovels and nobody seemed to complain. Books however were printed which carefully taught a whole generation of Palestinians to hate the Jews and Israel.

Then, I wrote, how could Israel be so dumb? How could they allow Peres to build an army and even give the “Palestinian Authority” the guns to shoot them? And, even with all that, there are still those who say Peres is a great man. For G-d’s sake,WHY!? I remember he once said, he did not care what the Arab press said about Arafat, only about what Arafat said to him. Well, he should have because he was telling the Arab audience to kill Jews and grab Jerusalem as the capital of their homeland.

Before running off into the sunset believing how there is “new hope” the leaders of Israel ought to be remembering that Arafat is still living. The old guard is still running things. They may not be afraid to speak out as they were when Arafat was living but in the end, it is the same old tired ruling party that is calling the shots. They are using new code words however. The President may be dead. However, the “Presidency still lives.” And, by doing so, the same old guard stays in power. They must have a new regime change and not the same people. Or, as Khalad Abu Toameh said, “Old wine in new bottles”

The same old show continues as the ‘security forces’ are being run by militias and being controlled by “war lords”. Has it ever occurred to anyone that a partial solution might be really meaning democracy when the word is used?

If Israel is serious about the hope for the future now that Arafat is dead, then, it’s time to insist, and not give vague demands, that democracy is really going to have to happen before more money is sent. Except the word democracy is so alien to their way of life, culture and thinking that it isn’t about to happen. In fact, somebody ought to start questioning where the billions are hidden and start using them to pay the electric and water bills. Better yet, Israel should cut off the water and lights off.

Unfortunately, the elections are going to be pretty much what they have always been. The Palestinians see themselves as foot soldiers for revolution. That is why leaving Gaza is something that they are looking upon as a foothold in getting the Jews out of Israel. It is sad to say as I think Gaza is a hellhole. Somehow, they do not notice or acknowledge that it is because their leader stole their money, which had been earmarked to change their lives.

I have traveled there a few times as a journalist and it is a disgusting place. Nobody really wants it. Yet, for Israel to leave is going to give the Arabs the excuse to set up a terror state in the middle of Israel.

I find it ironic that there is no talk among the Arabs of peaceful coexistence, cooperation, tolerance, acceptance and negotiated compromise. They are looking upon Israel as fools who can be manipulated. The Arabs accept the removal of Israelis from Gaza as something they have achieved by killing Jews. To their twisted minds, they figure that they were able to kill Israelis in Lebanon and they were forced to leave. Now, they have killed over a thousand Jews since the intafada so they are leaving Gaza. Next, maybe if they kill two thousand, they will give up and leave the West Bank. Finally, who knows? Maybe if they are able to kill ten thousand, they’ll end up with Israel. Wow! What a prize!

Posted December 4, 2004

Arlene Peck is an internationally syndicated columnist and television talk show hostess. She travels extensively worldwide, reporting to her audience about political events, social happenings (Cannes Film Festival, London event for the Variety Club, etc.) and "must see" spots. If there is a place to see and be seen, she'll write about it for her international audience. Arlene's syndicated column is read weekly by millions and her television show ("Wow! It's Arlene Peck!") can be seen throughout Southern California every Monday night.

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