(Time) - Romesh Ratnesar In a meeting with Fatah leaders last Thursday, Arafat shouted down anyone who dared to question his choices for the new cabinet. Arafat's aides acknowledge that he did indeed subvert Abbas, who was once Arafat's first lieutenant. "He felt that Abu Mazen was going to take his crown," says a senior Arafat aide. "Arafat's morale is high," says a top Palestinian official, "not because of Israel's threat against him but because he got rid of Abu Mazen." Many top Palestinian officials believe Arafat's strategy is to eviscerate all credible alternatives to his leadership, leaving the U.S. no choice but to prod Israel to resume peace talks with him. U.S. and Israeli officials say they have no interest in giving Arafat another chance.
2003-09-25 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive