Suha Arafat, the wife of the ailing Palestinian president Yasser Arafat, accused the Palestinian leadership (in an interview with the Arabic news channel Al Jazeera) of conspiring against her husband, provoking them entirely as well as many of Arafat colleagues.
The PLC is now intending to officially ask the French government to allow the Palestinian delegation to visit Arafat. According to them, they are seeking to know more about his condition following Suha’s refusal to allow them to visiting the ailing Arafat.
Suha Arafat told the Arabic news channel Al Jazeera early Monday that former head of the Palestinian National Security, Mohammed Dahlan; Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei; PLO Secretary General Mahmoud Abbas and Palestinian Foreign Minister Nabil Shaath are all conspiring against her husband. According to Mrs. Arafat, “they all want to burry him alive.”
The Palestinian leadership has completely rejected Suha’s statements. Tayeb Abdul Rahim said, "what came out of Suha doesn't represent our people," accusing her of wanting to undermine the Palestinian leadership indicating it could have been a power play on her part.
In response to Suha's comments, Prime Minister Qurei, Foreign Minister Shaath and Mahmoud Abbas briefly canceled their planned trip to Paris. Shaath, however, later said the trip was back on.
The three Palestinian officials were making intensive efforts to meet French President Jacques Chirac and Foreign Minister Michel Barnier to discuss the situation and make funeral arrangements.
Jamil Tarifi, the Palestinian minister of civil affairs, told Al-Jazeera the group was initially hesitant about going, but that the executive committee decided the trip would help "reassure" worried Palestinians.
Some Palestinian officials have complained Suha Arafat has gained too much power. She controls the flow of information about Arafat's condition and has taken charge of access to her husband. "It's an absurd situation that Suha is sitting there and deciding when, how and who," Sufian Abu Zaida, a Palestinian Authority official, told Israel's Army Radio.
On her part, Palestinian deputy Hanan Ashrawi told AFP: "This is their right to go to Paris -- to dispel the rumors. It is unfortunate that (Suha) made this statements. These comments are provocative and divisive."
The Palestinian factions have also expressed their anger at what Suha said and renewed their appeal for a united Palestinian authority to handle things during Arafat's absence.
"We are surprised about what Suha said, and we think that she knows nothing of Arafat's health,” said Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zahri. The spokesman also told Al Bawaba that Hamas has been demanding a united leadership in the absence of Arafat.
On the other end of the spectrum, the Islamic Jihad sees the current situation as a reflection of the chaos within the Palestinian authority. "There is a state of clutter within the Palestinian authority, and this could soon end with the formation of a united authority…this chaos only undermines our international standing. I call upon all parties to overcome their differences and deal with the illness of Arafat in a responsible manner,” said Khaled Al Batsh – an Islamic Jihad spokesman.
"I don’t think that Suha Arafat's statements are going to have a strong impact on the Palestinian people, although they may political affect several officials within the Palestinian authority," concluded the spokesman.
Kayed Al Ghoul, a PFLP central committee member, considers Suha Arafat's statements as very unnecessary as they are bold accusations concerning key Palestinian personalities.
Mutasem Hamada, head of media relations at the PFLP, has also expressed his regret at Suha’s remarks, hoping it was only an emotional outburst. “It is unfortunate to witness such confrontation between Suha Arafat and the Palestinian leadership - especially that Arafat is still alive and being hospitalized. The whole dispute is affecting our reputation internationally as it we are now depicted as more concerned about the amount of money at stake rather than the plight of the Palestinians, “Hamada explained.
Hamada was referring to reports by Arafat’s financial advisor – Mohammad Rashid - accusing Suha of trying to ‘inherit’ the Arafat estate, which is estimated at approximately 800 million dollars and is said to be highly liquid. (albawaba.com)
