The United States, Europe and moderate Arab governments should increase, not abandon, their efforts to gain a cease-fire between Israel and the Palestinians. The chances may be slimmer than ever since Israel's announcement Wednesday that it has severed relations with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, but the stakes are too high to give up.
Arafat's unwillingness or inability to stop terrorist groups like Hamas and Islamic Jihad from attacking Israelis in restaurants, on buses and on street corners has marginalized him, and not only among Israelis. Leaders in Jordan, Egypt and Europe are rightly furious with Arafat for not quelling violence that threatens to spread outside Palestine and Israel, disrupting regional stability and the U.S.-led international campaign against terrorism.
For the Record
Los Angeles Times Saturday December 15, 2001 Home Edition California Part B Page 22 Metro Desk 1 inches; 16 words Type of Material: Correction
Mideast--An editorial Friday mistakenly referred to Palestine. It should have said Palestinian territories.
Former Israeli Foreign Minister Abba Eban once said that Palestinians never missed an opportunity to miss an opportunity. The latest example is one of the worst yet. Arafat ordered the closing of the offices and institutions of Hamas and Islamic Jihad Wednesday only after commando-style attacks on Jewish settlers in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Had he acted a week ago, immediately after attacks on civilians in Haifa and Jerusalem, he would have had a better claim to legitimacy as an effective leader of the Palestinians. And Israel might not have escalated its tank and helicopter gunship attacks on Palestinian Authority installations in the West Bank and Gaza. That Israel's harsh military actions met so little world condemnation speaks volumes.
After the Jerusalem and Haifa killings at the start of December, Israel demanded that Arafat arrest the killers and other terrorists it named. The U.S. echoed those demands and did nothing to dissuade Israeli retaliation. Washington's snub is another blow to Arafat's claim of credible leadership.
It is unclear whether Israel means to bypass the Palestinian Authority along with Arafat. Many Palestinians believe that Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon wants to sideline Arafat and destroy the Palestinian Authority; Israel's declaration Wednesday that Arafat is "irrelevant" supports that belief.
Despite its own anger with Arafat, Washington has not declined to deal with him. U.S. special envoy Anthony C. Zinni's two weeks in Israel have coincided with one of the most severe outbreaks of violence in years. Still, he stayed in the region and conferred Thursday with Sharon.
