That is a highly biased article full of accusations but hardly any evidence - typical of you Snooker. If you have evidence, post it.
Here's an more rational perspective:
washingtonpost.com Mr. Arafat's Decision
YASSER ARAFAT has a dilemma. He is desperate to avoid being caught on the wrong side of the new U.S.-led war against terrorism -- so much so that he is prepared to have his security forces open fire on his own people rather than allow a demonstration in favor of Osama bin Laden. At the same time, he knows that many people in the Gaza Strip and West Bank were charmed by Osama bin Laden's diatribe on behalf of Palestinians this week. What's more, several of the Palestinian organizations engaged in the continuing uprising against Israel share Osama bin Laden's ideology and his terrorist methods -- and they increasingly pose a threat to Mr. Arafat's hold on power. If Mr. Arafat tries to face them, he will likely cause the collapse of his fight with Israel, and might trigger a civil war among the Palestinians. If he does not, and the militants continue their suicide bombings and shootings of Israeli civilians, Mr. Arafat risks being lumped with the Taliban as a host and sponsor of terrorism.
What to do? As always, Mr. Arafat is trying to temporize. He is seeking to squelch any sign of Palestinian support for Osama bin Laden -- or at least prevent local and foreign journalists from reporting on it. But he's still hoping to avoid taking on the Palestinian extremists, or even carrying out the arrest of operatives known to be involved in organizing suicide bombings. Instead, he's betting that the United States will feel compelled to launch a new Arab-Israeli peace process, and that he will be able to demand concessions for joining it -- including the dropping of previous demands that he act decisively to end the violence.
The United States does need to restart the Arab-Israeli peace process if it is to hold together its coalition against Osama bin Laden. But letting Mr. Arafat off the hook is not the way. Instead, it should press him to do what it is asking of other governments -- to break, once and for all, links with Islamic extremist groups that are engaged in terrorism. Unless Mr. Arafat takes that step -- unless he arrests those in the West Bank and Gaza who are involved in such acts -- the violence will not end and negotiations will not progress; he will never regain credibility as a negotiating partner with Israel.
Despite Osama bin Laden's demagogic appeal to the Palestinians -- and maybe even because if it -- Mr. Arafat now has the opportunity to act. He can do it not as a concession to Israel but as a response to the United States; not just to end the largest threat to his power among the Palestinians but as part of the global campaign against Osama bin Laden and those who support his cause. Like Pakistan's Gen. Pervez Musharraf, Mr. Arafat has been given a chance to join the West -- a choice that would force him, like Gen. Musharraf, to face internal opponents and popular unrest but that ultimately would advance his own cause.
To make such a historic move, Mr. Arafat needs help from Israel, help that Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon appears loath to provide. Rather than easing Israeli military pressure on the Palestinians, which would allow Mr. Arafat's own security forces more room to act against the extremists, Mr. Sharon's army continues to act provocatively, launching repeated forays into Palestinian territory since Sept. 11 and killing dozens of Palestinians in subsequent battles. Like Mr. Arafat, Mr. Sharon hopes to avoid being seen as an obstacle to the U.S. campaign, but he is unwilling to take the steps toward a peace process that could benefit Israel as well as advance the American cause. Instead he resorts to inflammatory declarations, such as his absurd and offensive suggestion that the Bush administration, by promoting Israeli-Palestinian talks, risks the error of European governments that appeased Adolf Hitler. The Bush administration must insist on an end to Israel's destructive provocations. And then it should tell Mr. Arafat it is time for him to decide.
