(Jerusalem Post) Khaled Abu Toameh - Arafat stormed out of a meeting of the Fatah Central Council in Ramallah on Thursday after a bitter confrontation with Gen. Nasser Youssef, nominated to be interior minister in the new cabinet led by Ahmed Qurei (Abu Ala). According to well-informed sources in Ramallah, an enraged Arafat left the meeting after Youssef described him as "the most incompetent revolutionary leader in history." Qurei's attempt to form an emergency cabinet was strongly opposed by many PA, PLO, and Fatah officials, forcing Qurei to back off from his intention. Hundreds of Palestinians converged on Arafat's compound Thursday night, vowing to foil any attempt to expel him. Flashing a V for victory sign, a smiling Arafat walked out to the crowd, shouting through a loudspeaker that he prefers to die rather than be expelled.
2003-09-12 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive