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The Cost of Expulsion
(Wall Street Journal) Dennis Ross - It is easy to see the logic of expelling Yasser Arafat. In the year 2000, he had the opportunity to end Israeli occupation, and he said no. Instead of ending the conflict he allowed the intifada to erupt, destroying the peace camp in Israel and bringing extraordinary suffering to his own people. Not only is he unwilling to make peace, but he is determined to block any other Palestinian from doing so. Expulsion is not cost-free. It will probably produce the collapse of the Palestinian Authority and trigger violence and greater chaos for at least a period of time. The cost might be worth it over time if there was a pathway to work on reform on the inside and peace on the outside. Palestinians must see what can be gained. They must see what Arafat continues to cost them. If Israel is not ready to pay the price of expulsion in terms of credible new initiatives, then the message is clear: Don't do it.