www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall Arafat's bio

I'm surprised how much I remember of these details. It makes one wonder how secure any of us are when otherwise sane national leaders take such a butcher under their wings. If Dante thought that the floor of purgatory was lined with bishops' skulls I wonder what he must think of Arafat's place and what he might think of the dupes who followed him?

http://www.honestreporting.com/articles/45884734/critiques/Yassir_Arafat_1929-2004.asp

Dan L

Shlomo Dan,

Here is what the Catholic Officals have to say about President Arafat.

Pope expresses closeness to Arafat's family, Palestinian people


By Sarah Delaney
Catholic News Service

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope John Paul II expressed his closeness to the family of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and to the Palestinian people and prayed "that the star of harmony soon shine on the Holy Land."

The pope's message followed the Nov. 11 announcement of Arafat's death in a Paris military hospital.

The pope prayed that Israelis and Palestinians soon "may live reconciled among themselves as two independent and sovereign states."

The message was written by Cardinal Angelo Sodano, Vatican secretary of state, and authorized by the pope, a Vatican statement said. It was addressed to Rawhi Fattuh, president of the Palestinian Legislative Council.

Cardinal Sodano wrote, "to the condolences of His Holiness, I cordially adjoin my own."

Earlier, Vatican spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls said in a statement that Arafat "was a leader of great charisma, who loved his people and who sought to guide them toward national independence."

"May God, in his mercy, receive the soul of the illustrious deceased," the statement read, "and bring peace to the Holy Land, with two independent and sovereign states, fully reconciled between themselves."

The Vatican was expected to name an envoy to attend Arafat's Nov. 12 funeral in Cairo, Egypt.

Afif Safieh, the Palestine Liberation Organization's representative to the Holy See, said the good diplomatic relations that Arafat established with the Vatican would not change.

"President Arafat valued his relations with the Holy See and with the Holy Father," Safieh said in a telephone interview from London. "He always considered himself to be the representative of all the Palestinians," including Christians.

Arafat met with Pope John Paul 12 times between 1982 and his confinement by Israel to his headquarters in Ramallah, West Bank, in 2001. In 2000, the Vatican and the Palestinian National Authority signed an agreement that guaranteed the rights of Christian and their churches in Palestinian territories.

"This will continue. We as Palestinians are the custodians of all the spiritual messages that were born in Palestine," Safieh said.

Arafat, he said, had put relations between Palestinian authorities and the Vatican "on the right track."

Now, he added "it is our duty to continue this privileged relationship with the Holy See. We will honor our agreement."

Arafat "valued very much his personal encounters with the pope," Safieh said, and even after his confinement Arafat "continued to consult with him (the pope) in decisive moments for the Middle East."

Father Justo Lacunza Balda, director of Rome's Institute for Arab and Islamic Studies, said the restrictions Israel put on Arafat "did not help the prospect of peace."

The death of the Palestinian leader "marks a U-turn in history," he said, because it may give a chance for the emergence of a new generation that "wants to live in a better world. The new generation in Israel as well is fed up with violence."

He said Christians in the Palestinian territories were feeling insecure following the bombings of churches in Iraq. Five churches were bombed in August, five in October, and car bombs in Baghdad Nov. 8 damaged two Orthodox churches and one Catholic church.

Father Lacunza said the bombings in Baghdad show "that there is a grander project to rid the whole area of any minorities, no matter if it is Christian, Jewish or Zoroastrian. There is a message that minorities are not wanted."

"We have to put the problem of Christian minorities in the context of the whole Middle East," he said.

The guarantee of freedom of religion for minorities in any country "is the responsibility and the duty of the state, not the church," Father Lacunza said.

*************************************************
Church leaders praise Arafat; ADL talks of legacy of terrorism


By Judith Sudilovsky
Catholic News Service

JERUSALEM (CNS) -- Church leaders in Jerusalem said Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat supported the rights of Holy Land Christians in a region often hostile to them, but the Anti-Defamation League said Arafat's legacy "is one of terrorism and failed leadership."

"Arafat was always there for us and (handled) any conflicts within Palestinian society. He especially had good contacts with the leaders of the churches, and they could contact him any time," said Father Shawki Baterian, chancellor of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem.

"He was always open to our ideas. Even for the constitution, Arafat asked our opinion and formed a committee to follow up with us on that," he said.

Although the draft constitution envisioned a lay state, it also declared Islam the official religion.

Father Baterian said it was essential for a new Palestinian leader to be elected democratically and to follow Arafat's path in maintaining unity among Palestinians, including Christians.

Arafat appointed Christians to influential positions within the Palestinian National Authority; several of his closest advisers and associates were Christians.

"Arafat was the president of the Palestinian people and�strengthened the future between (Muslims and Christians). No matter how it looks today, it is misunderstandings and just temporary. It is not part of our culture," said Ramze Zananiri, Jerusalem office director of the Middle East Council of Churches.

Zananiri said that while power struggles might occur in the aftermath of Arafat's Nov. 11 death, he did not expect Islamic extremists to gain power, because "the vast majority�are not fundamentalists."

"It is of great significance to have a strong leadership," he said. "Also in Israeli society, I hope there will be leaders who will drive the people to a better future."

George Sahhar, president of the Christian Laity Committee in the Holy Land, said there was "great sadness among the Christians in the Holy Land."

George Sahhar, president of the Christian Laity Committee in the Holy Land, said there was "great sadness among the Christians in the Holy Land."

Some Palestinians said that whoever is chosen as their leader, he must not be seen as too close to the United States or Israel, or he will not be trusted or supported by the people.

In Washington, President George W. Bush sent condolences to the Palestinian people, saying he hoped the future would "bring peace and the fulfillment of their aspirations for an independent, democratic Palestine that is at peace with its neighbors."

"During the period of transition that is ahead, we urge all in the region and throughout the world to join in helping make progress toward these goals and toward the ultimate goal of peace," Bush said.

In New York, Anti-Defamation League national director Abraham Foxman said that Arafat "focused on ways to destroy the Jewish State of Israel."

"There will undoubtedly be many eulogies and tributes focusing on Arafat's accomplishments. Such eulogies should not and cannot whitewash Arafat's responsibility for the death of thousands of Israelis, Jews, Palestinians and others and his lifelong commitment to the use of terrorism to further his political goals," Foxman said.

In Geneva, the World Council of Churches said Arafat would be remembered for uniting the Palestinian people and for advancing the cause of Palestinian statehood.

"On his long road as a leader, Yasser Arafat came to the recognition that true justice embraces peace, security and hope for both Palestinians and Israelis," the council's statement said.

The statement noted that "Arafat often made sure to mention the church as well as the mosque as core institutions of Palestinian national life."

Diplomatic language is always rather hard to decipher. The Vatican wants to help bring about peace in the Middle East. The Church is the only istitution that can. I pray that they are successful. Nevertheless, Arafat was a butcher. We must sometimes calm the butcher. Maybe that is what was going on. Moreover, it seems to me that Christians in Palestine are caught in a nut cracker with Jews on one side and Muslims on the other. I pray that the Palestinians really are solicitous toward Palestinian Christians. They are the salt that will make a difference. But I don't see how blowing up their children and killing hundreds of people in the process, or how Munich 1972, or killing people on planes is supposed to bring about a peaceful state or convince the world that one is ready to act in a civil manner.

In any event, the pope needs to be diplomatic. I don't.

Dan L

Isn't Mrs. Arafat a Christian (Latin rite)?

Ung-Certez

Apparently so.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/3965541.stm

She is also known as Miss Moneybags and the new "smartest woman in the world" for her many financial coupes especially her $22,000.000 stipend she gets out of the largesse given Arafat by a naive world.

Dan L

She converted to Islam the article says when they married in 1990. CS

This question can also be asked from the other side of the equation, substituting Ariel Sharon for Yasser Arafat. I will not get into a tit-for-tat death count of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, for that would be an obscenity. But I do ask that this thread be stopped, for name calling does nothing to enrich our Christian faith.

Dear Dan,

It appears the difference is in the retaliation. The Christians in Palestine must side with the Muslims. They have no choice.

If they side with the Israeli's in 'anything', they will undoubtably be killed, while if they side with the Palestinians, they will suffer some sort of economic retaliation by the Israeli's... nothing more. So what is better? It's human nature to reason in a way that is beneficial to oneself. Never in a way that would be suicidal.

Actually, I am personally repulsed by Arafat's face. I can't even look at it, even though as a young man he was relatively attractive.

Now I am not usually repulsed by the way people look, so it must be something deeper than just 'ugliness' or sickness.

Many years ago, there was a movie called, the 'Portrait of Dorian Grey'. Dorien Grey had a portrait made of himself, and all his sins were reflected on his portrait, rather than on him. It's a pity, Arafat couldn't do the same thing.

I did hear a doctor state that the symptoms Arafat was suffering from, appears to be Aids. Of course it might not have been, but then why wouldn't the French hospital disclose what it is?

As for his wife, she is being blamed by the Palestinians for living in France, while he suffered. These people really believe that he would have allowed 'his' child to suffer in Palestine. He sent them to Paris, and he gave the code for his Swiss accounts only to her.

I am sure the twenty-million she will be receiving each year for her living expenses, will only be until Arafat's child grows up. After that, who knows what millions, if not billions, the child will inherit. Athena Onassis, (the richest woman in the world today), will have a lot of competition.

Bravo for Arafat and his concern towards the suffering Palestinians.

Zenovia

Where can one find info about the history of Christians in Palestine? Have they always been Roman Catholics or are they converts? If they are converts, was it due to the crusades?

Ung-Certez

I don't think I trust people who are more worried about whether someone is offended by an accurate portrayal and unaffected by the actions that portrayal accurately portrays. Either the Palestinians will revolt against the kind of brutality and evil Arafat foisted upon the world or they will continue to sink into ever deeper expression of inhumanity. The choices they make in this regard will signal to the world whether or not they wish to be taken seriously.

Dan L

If you google around, you will find as many items identifying her Sahu Arafat as Greek Orthodox, as Catholic, let alone Roman Catholic. She apparently did attend a Catholic school, and interestingly had her daughter baptized.

UC: In "Palestine" (Israel, Occupied Territories, and Jordan), there are ~130,000 JP Orthodox, ~90,000 Melkites (Akka, Jerusalem, Petra) ~75,000 RC (Jerusalem) and a small (~7000) Maronite See in Haifa. The Catholic Hierarchy site lists RC bishops back to 1500's - rather patchy until the mid 1847 when the Ottomana allowed the re-establishment of the RC. Crusader Patriarchs are in Jersualem form 1099 to 1187; at Acre until 1291; Cyprus until 1374; then Rome until 1847. If the present Palestinian RC's date back to the Crusader Patriarchate, that would be remarkable.

I didn't say I was offended by your post. I merely pointed out that the same post could have been made about Ariel Sharon.

How many of the details of Sharon's "career" do your remember? Unit 101's slaughter of civilians in Qibya? Battalion 890's murder of Egyptian POWs? his alliance with the Apartheid state of South Africa, providing technical assistance so that that racist nation could bypass the arms embargo placed against it? the 1981 destruction of 2000 homes in the Gaza Strip? the 1982 invasion of Beirut, with more than 19,000 people killed in 6 months? or the orchestration of the massacres in the Sabra and Shatila refugee camps?

Cannot the same quote apply to the brutality and evil Sharon foisted upon the world? The Israeli Supreme Court declared Sharon "unfit for office" because of his culpability in the massacres in the refugee camps of Shatila and Sabra. Yet the people of that "democracy" freely chose to elect him as their leader. What does that say about them and their desires for true justice and true peace?

Again, I was not offended by your original posting. However, it does no good to list the atrocities committed by one side without noting those committed by the other side; it does no good to point out the crimes committed by one leader without seeing the crimes committed by another.

In fact, I would suggest that lining up atrocities side by side does no good at all. Judging who is right and who is wrong by counting dead bodies (which side has more reason to be angrier and seek more retaliation) is an offense against the dead and an insult to those who loved them.

I think part of the problem may be that Arafat and Sharon were/are both thugs. A more radical element in Israel seems to hold power, and the Palestinians are becoming more fragmented into little radical groups. I wonder if there is anyone on either side today that could draw the sides together for any kind of fruitful negotiations?

Amen, Tennessee; Arafat was no Islamist, what may come to follow his leadership may make us long for the good old Arafat days...