Thursday September 8, 2005

I've Been Thinking:

Mousa Arafat is dead. He was assassinated.

Who was Mousa Arafat ?
He was a close relative and trusted confidante of Yassir Arafat. The two were in exile in Tunisia together and later returned to the Palestinian territories together.

Mousa Arafat was one of Yassir Arafat's security chiefs and was later appointed Assistant Chief of Security in Gaza by Arafat's successor, Mohammad Abbas.

Why should we care?
The Popular Resistance Committees claimed responsibility, then denied playing any role in the assassination out of fear of reprisal from the Abbas government.

This assassination was a direct attack on Abbas and on the Arafat legacy.
This assassination was a direct attack on the idea that Palestinians create a civil state next to Israel.
This assassination was a direct attack against those demanding that all non-police personnel i.e. terrorists, turn in their weapons.

Sharon was correct. His plan was to force Palestinians to fight against each other. Sharon wanted to force Gaza into anarchy.
Abbas has no choice. He must now force all terrorist groups, including Hamas, to disarm.

If not - he might be next.