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The Arafat Barrier

(New York Times) - William Safire By unleashing and sustaining suicide bombers against Israeli civilians, Yasser Arafat outfoxed himself: the Palestinian boss has given substance to the Israeli dream and UN promise of "defensible borders." Two-fifths of the barrier against terrorist infiltration is already built. Its purpose is to remove the extremist Palestinians' threat of suicide attacks from what was once called the peace process. All along, Sharon will insist that the fence is a security device, not a political border. That gives future Israeli governments opportunity to improve territorial defenses if a Palestinian partner does not soon emerge. When that peacemaker does emerge, he or she will find the defensible-border issue already settled - thanks to Yasser Arafat.
2003-10-01 00:00:00
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