Palestinian Prime Minister Asks the Hamas to Halt Terror Attacks

Since the Palestinian leader Yassar Arafat has been hospitalized and is in critical condition, the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) and the political movement called the Fatah is in the process of reorganization.

According to a November 7 report in the Israeli newspaper the Ha-aretz, the Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia discussed ways to keep order in the Gaza strip on the previous day at a meeting the leaders of the Hamas and the Islamic Jihad, radical armed groups, and asked them to abstain from terror attacks on Israel.

Mr. Qureia said, “We need to avoid retaliatory attacks by Israeli army because it takes time for new leadership to be put in place.”

Meanwhile, the Arabic satellite broadcast Aljazeera reported on November 7 that medical staff in the Percy de Clarmat military hospital in France sent a blood sample to the United States because they could not definitively identify the cause of Arafat’s illness.

Regarding the health status of the Palestinian leader, the French hospital said on November 5 that, “Mr. Arafat’s condition has not grown worse and is more stable than yesterday.”

Arafat`s aide Nabil Abu Rdeneh said, “Mr. Arafat’s health status is not irrecoverable. I hope he will get better.” Even the Israel daily newspaper Yediot Ah’aronot reported that “Arafat opened his eyes in the middle of night and talked with hospital staff.”

It is also rumored by some that the continuing confusion surrounding Arafat’s condition is because his wife Suha At-Taweel is trying to make the most of the death time of Arafat.

It is known hat she is the only person with him in an intensive care unit, and nobody is allowed to enter this unit except hospital staff.

According to the Ha-aretz’ report, a spokesman of the hospital said, “Mrs. At-Taweel controls all information being issued. Every statement is released by her and she prevents any additional news about Arafat’s condition from being delivered.”

The newspaper stated that Mrs. Al-Taweel and Palestinian leaders are conflicting against each other over Arafat’s imminent death because of financial matter including Arafat’s secret account in the Swiss Bank.

Young-Sik Kim spear@donga.com