Arafat Faces Threat of Deportation

OCCUPIED JERUSALEM, 3 September 2003 — Yasser Arafat should be removed from the Palestinian leadership and Israel may have to decide by year’s end whether to expel him if he continues to get in the way of a US-backed peace plan, Israel’s defense minister said yesterday. Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz issued the warning as Arafat and his Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas remained locked in a bitter power struggle. Abbas, backed by the United States and Israel, is increasingly unpopular at home and could be ousted, possibly in a Parliament vote next week.

Nearly 200 Palestinian legislators, academics and writers appealed to both men in newspaper ads yesterday to resolve their differences, saying the deadlock was hurting Palestinian interests. “We call on you to stop all actions that may open the door to foreign interference,” the ad read.

Leaders of the ruling Fatah movement met yesterday, but failed to find a compromise. Mediators were to keep shuttling between the leaders who are not speaking to each other. Officials close to Abbas denied reports that he has threatened to resign and leave the Palestinian areas.

Also yesterday, a Palestinian was killed by army fire at a West Bank checkpoint, the Israeli military said. It said the man got out of a car and drew a handgun, trying to shoot soldiers who opened fire and killed him. A passenger in the car was taken for questioning, the army said.