(Jerusalem Post)Editorial - Arafat was a destroyer, not a builder. He was the father of modern terrorism. Arafat leaves another legacy: the first society in history to have glorified suicide-murders on a national scale, starting from grade-school children. It remains to be seen how that society - brought up on the fantasy of "return," on the notion that every Israeli city is a "settlement," and on the idea that Israel exists entirely on "stolen Palestinian land" - will inculcate a nationalism that is not based on Israel's destruction. It is widely alleged that Israel missed an opportunity with Arafat, since he was the only leader who could have permanently shut down the Palestinian war against Israel. The opposite is the case: it was only Arafat's charisma, status, and Herculean efforts that were able to keep the war with Israel alive.
2004-11-11 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive