A top Hamas political leader accused Israel today of poisoning the late PLO leader Yasser Arafat, while Israel braced itself for possible confrontations with angry mobs of Palestinians and attacks by terror organizations.
“I accuse Israel of having poisoned the blood of Abu Ammar,” Khaled Meshal, the overall leader of Hamas told Al-Jazeera TV, using Arafat’s nom-de-guerre.
Meshal lives openly in Syria, where he runs Hamas’ terrorist operations in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
On Tuesday, Palestinian Foreign Minister Nabil Shaath told reporters that French doctors’ diagnosis “had ruled out poisoning totally.”
Meshal may have personal issues with Israeli forces over previous poisonings. In 1997, then-Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sent two Mossad agents who got caught in Amman after spilling poison into Meshal’s ear.
“French and Arab doctors may not be able to find evidence as they could not find proof in my blood when I was poisoned, but Israel was forced then to bring an antidote after two of its agents were held in Jordan,” Meshal said.
Israel has been worried some radical Palestinians might blame the Jewish state for Arafat’s demise. In a previous interview with WorldNetDaily, Israel’s former Foreign Minister Shlomo Ben Ami said Israel should distance itself from Arafat’s death and warned that Sharon may be held responsible no matter how Arafat passed away.
“I think given that he is been held under difficult conditions by Israel, my fear is that even if he passes for natural reasons, it will be perceived as because of the conditions and he will become a sort of martyr. I am afraid this will unleash an outburst of violent demonstrations. Israel would have it very, very tough,” said Ben Ami.
Ben Ami predicted a “transition period of turmoil, because there is no mechanism of succession. You have all kinds of warlords. There is a difference between Gaza and the West Bank, and of course Hamas could fill the vacuum.”
Meanwhile, Israel ordered a general closure of the West Bank and Gaza as the region prepares for Arafat’s burial and possible chaos. Israeli forces have been deployed to the West Bank “in order to allow for a dignified funeral ceremony” for Arafat, said an IDF spokesperson.
All Palestinians traveling in the West Bank area must have appropriate permits, as Israeli forces have been put on high alert in anticipation of violence and terror attacks.
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