Arafat tells envoy: Abbas is a traitor
By Arnon Regular, Amos Harel and Aluf Benn
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=316897&contrassID=2&subContrassID=1&sbSubContrassID=0&listSrc=YPalestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat yesterday accused Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) of "betraying the interests of the
Palestinian people." The outburst, whose ferocity surprised even Arafat's long-time associates, occurred during the chairman's meeting
with UN envoy Terje Larsen, according to a Palestinian source who was present. "Abu Mazen is betraying the interests of the Palestinian
people," Arafat said, according to the source. "He is behaving like a tyro who doesn't know what he is doing. How does he dare to stand
next to an Israeli flag and next to
Sharon and to act friendly with a man whose history is known to all the world?"
Diplomatic sources said that Larsen responded by stressing the importance of supporting the process Abbas has begun, which includes a cease-fire and the resumption of diplomatic talks. <snip?
In another element of this struggle, Haaretz has learned that Arafat recently offered Jibril Rajoub, who he fired last year as head of the
West Bank's Preventive Security Service, a new job as the official in charge of West Bank mayors. Since Arafat also recently gave the
mayors the authority to give orders to members of the Palestinian security services, this would essentially give Rajoub, who still
commands the loyalty of many officers in the Preventive Security Service, broad official powers over this service - a direct challenge
to Abbas and his hand-picked security chief, Mohammed Dahlan. Rajoub has not yet accepted the position, but is reportedly tempted.
Additionally, Arafat put a close associate, Hani Al-Hassan, in charge of all of Fatah's affairs in the West Bank - a position from which he can also make life very difficult for Abbas. <snip>
Regarding the transfer of another West Bank city, Mofaz said the PA has not yet proved its ability to fight terror in Gaza and Bethlehem,
the two areas it has already received. Until it does, he said, there will be no further handovers - particularly since most of the West
Bank cities, located fairly close to the seam line with Israel, are considered very high risk. <snip>
.... Palestinians threw rocks at a car on the Trans-Israel Highway, shattering the windshield but not injuring the occupants, police said. Initially, the driver had thought it was a shooting attack, but police found no evidence of bullets. The road, though inside
Israel, is only a few kilometers from the West Bank city of Qalqilyah. There were also some shooting incidents in the
territories, but with no Israeli casualties. Near Nablus, soldiers defused seven pipe bombs.
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