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Source: http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/A/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1044508197527
PA On Hold
(Jerusalem Post) - Khaled Abu Toameh Intelligence reports emanating from Ramallah have suggested that some Palestinian officials, including Arafat confidants, are eager to see the man, who has been their leader and symbol for three decades, disappear, a process that began immediately after Operation Defensive Shield in April 2002. Yet Arafat remains today as relevant as ever and no serious challenger has emerged. In the words of one Palestinian official, Arafat's powerful presence will be felt as long as the man breathes. Ironically, one of the "positive" outcomes of Operation Defensive Shield is the fact that Palestinians in the West Bank today enjoy a greater degree of freedom of speech now that the Palestinian security forces have been dealt a severe blow. In recent months, speakers at a series of seminars in Ramallah, Nablus, and Jenin have openly attacked the Palestinian leadership for mismanagement and corruption. For the first time, columnists have begun criticizing the security forces for violating human rights and interfering in civilian affairs. Moreover, ordinary Palestinians interviewed on the streets are no longer afraid to speak out.