Arafat and the Dream of Palestine: An Insider's Account

289 Pages·2009·1.63 MB·English

by  Bassam Abu Sharif

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ARAFAT
AND THE
DREAM
OF
PALESTINE
AN INSIDER’S ACCOUNT
BASSAM ABU SHARIF
01 sharif text:Arafat 3/23/09 3:21 PM Page ii
ARAFATANDTHEDREAMOFPALESTINE
Copyright © Bassam Abu Sharif, 2009.
All rights reserved.
All photographs are printed courtesy of Bassam Abu Sharif.
Map of the Middle East is reprinted courtesy of the Library of Congress, Geography
and Map Division.
First published in 2009 by PALGRAVE MACMILLAN® in the United States–a
division of St. Martin’s Press LLC, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010.
Where this book is distributed in the UK, Europe and the rest of the world, this is by
Palgrave Macmillan, a division of Macmillan Publishers Limited, registered in
England, company number 785998, of Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire RG21
6XS.
Palgrave Macmillan is the global academic imprint of the above companies and has
companies and representatives throughout the world.
Palgrave® and Macmillan® are registered trademarks in the United States, the United
Kingdom, Europe and other countries.
ISBN–13: 978–0–230–60801–6
ISBN–10: 0–230–60801–9
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Abu Sharif, Bassam.
Arafat and the dream of Palestine : an insider’s account / Bassam Abu Sharif.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 0–230–60801–9
1. Arafat, Yasir, 1929–2004. 2. Heads of state—Palestine—Biography. 3.
Munazzamat al-Tahrir al-Filastiniyah—Biography. 4. Palestinian Arabs—
Biography. 5. Arab-Israeli conflict. 6. Abu Sharif, Bassam. I. Title.
DS126.6.A67A6 2009
956.95’3044092—dc22
[B]
2008054700
A catalogue record of the book is available from the British Library.
Design by Letra Libre, Inc.
First edition: May 2009
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Printed in the United States of America.
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CONTENTS
Key Terms and Organizations v
Principal Characters ix
PLO Chart xii
Map xiii
Prologue xv
Introduction 1
1. The Rise of Yasser Arafat 9
2. Black September 17
3. Hijacked! 25
4. Arafat’s Escape 31
5. War and Pieces of the Middle East 37
6. Book Bomb 45
7. Steadfastness and Confrontation 53
8. Reagan’s Broken Promise 61
9. Invasion 69
10. Military Ethics Breached 73
11. Walid Jumblatt’s Message 79
12. A Close Call 83
13. Practical Solutions to Impractical Problems 87
14. The Soviet Invitation 91
15. The Storming of Beirut 97
16. A Terrorist at Buckingham Palace 101
17. Tension with Syria 109
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18. A Dangerous Journey 121
19. Getting the Truth Out 125
20. India Loves You 135
21. The Handshake 139
22. Almost Deported 147
23. Lost in Translation 151
24. Children of the Stones 157
25. A Political Bomb 163
26. The Abu Sharif Document 169
27. Give Peace a Visa 179
28. The Difference a Paragraph Can Make 187
29. The Ambassador’s Lost Opportunity 193
30. The Power of an Embrace 199
31. Two Wagers 205
32. U.S. Trap 211
33. Last-Minute Modifications 219
34. Love and Hate 225
35. Under Siege 235
36. House Arrest 243
Epilogue: The Final Farewell 249
Acknowledgments 253
Index 255
Photosection appears between pages 134 and 135.
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KEY TERMS AND
ORGANIZATIONS
Abtal Al-Awda (Heroes of Return) An underground organization of fighters set up by the
Arab Nationalist Movement in 1964, at the same time that the PLO was being estab-
lished. After the Arab defeat in 1967, this group was folded into the PFLP.
Al-Hadaf (The Target) A Lebanese weekly magazine that had wide distribution in many
Arab countries as well as areas of the Arab diaspora, including Europe and North, Cen-
tral, and South America. This was an organ of information for the PFLP.
Al-Yarmouk Camp The largest Palestinian refugee camp in Syria; it was established by
UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near
East) in 1948.
Amman Agreement An agreement signed on February 23, 1984, between Arafat and King
Hussein of Jordan which called for: (1) Total withdrawal of Israel from lands occupied in
1967; (2) the right of Palestinian self-determination within the confederated states of
Jordan and Palestine; (3) a resolution to the Palestinian refugee problem in accordance
with previous UN resolutions; and (4) peace negotiations under the auspices of an inter-
national conference with the PLO representing the Palestinian people. This agreement
was nullified on February 19, 1986, by King Hussein when Arafat refused to recognize
UN Resolution 242 because of the language in the document, which only referred to the
“settlement of the refugee problem,” with no mention of the Palestinians at all. The
Amman Agreement was then cancelled permanently by the PNC at the Algiers confer-
ence April 20–25, 1987.
Arab League Representing all Arab countries plus the PLO, this institution carries out the
plans and implements decisions of the Arab leaders. Its headquarters are in Cairo, but it
has offices all over the world.
Arab Nationalist Movement A pan-Arab movement established by Dr. George Habash,
Dr. Wadi’ Haddad, and a group of their colleagues at the American University of Beirut.
Founded in part in reaction to the Arab diaspora, this movement called for Arab unity as
the only way to restore the rights of the Palestinians.
Bandung Conference (Indonesia) Conference for the nonaligned countries of India, In-
donesia, Yugoslavia, and Egypt.
Bar-Lev Line A fortification wall built by the Israelis after they had taken the Sinai. It was
built all along the Suez Canal and was constructed of earth and concrete, with extra for-
tifications at likely crossing points.
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vi • ARAFAT AND THE DREAM OF PALESTINE
Belgrade Conference (Yugoslavia) The name of the group of nonaligned countries that in-
cluded Egypt, India, Indonesia, and Yugoslavia. They tried to form a Third World polit-
ical power alongside the West (the United States) and the East (the Soviet Union).
Black September The month in 1970 when Jordanian military forces launched a heavy at-
tack against the Palestinian fighters in Jordan, eventually driving them out of the coun-
try. The name was later used by a group that carried out missions against the Israelis, one
of the most famous being the one in Munich during the 1972 Summer Olympics.
Camp David An American presidential resort where, at the invitation of U.S. president
Jimmy Carter, negotiations between Egyptian president Anwar El Sadat and Israeli prime
minister Menachem Begin were concluded on September 17, 1978, after twelve days of
secret negotiations. The Camp David Accords eventually led to a peace treaty between Is-
rael and Egypt in 1979, as well as to the beginning of negotiations between the Pales-
tinians and the Israelis.
Central Committee of Fateh The highest elected body of Fateh, headed by Yasser Arafat.
Dawson Field An airstrip in the desert east of Amman, Jordan that was used by the British
Air Force during World War I. It is where the four hijacked airplanes were brought down
by Palestinians on September 6, 1970, and also where they were later blown up. Follow-
ing this incident, Palestinians continue to refer to this site as “Revolution Airport.”
Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP) One of the Palestinian organi-
zations under the umbrella of the PLO, headed by Nayef Hawatmeh.
Druze A religious community found primarily in Syria, Lebanon, and Israel. It began as an
offshoot of Islam, but incorporates other beliefs (i.e., Gnostic, neo-Platonic). They are
considered to be Muslims but Muslim scholars do not regard them as such. They call
themselves “People of Monotheism or Unitarianism.”
Eid Al-Adha The Islamic holiday that comes two months after Ramadan had ended. It is
the Feast of Sacrifice that celebrates Abraham’s readiness to slaughter his son for God.
Eid Al-Fitr The Islamic holiday that comes one month after Ramadan has begun. It is a cel-
ebration of the end of fasting.
Fateh (Palestinian National Liberation Movement) An organization established in 1965
under the umbrella of the PLO, headed by Yasser Arafat. By maintaining leadership of
Fateh while he was also president of the PLO, he managed to secure his way in all deci-
sions because Fateh was the most prominent group within the PLO. Having both posi-
tions meant that he was able to get his ideas approved through all of the organizations that
belonged to the PLO.
Fidayeen (Men of Sacrifice) The name given to all Palestinian freedom fighters who resist
Israeli occupation.
General Union of Workers The union that organized the struggle of Palestinian workers
throughout Palestine and all other Arab countries. Its leaders are elected every four years.
G8 Countries (Group of Eight Countries) Term used to refer to the richest, most influen-
tial countries in the economic and industrial arenas, made up of the United States, Great
Britain, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Belgium, and Russia.
Hezbollah Hezbollah is a Shi’a Islamic political and paramilitary group that first emerged
to resist Israel’s 1982 invasion of Lebanon.
International Peace Conference (Prague) An international conference held in 1983 that was
attended by Palestinians and Israelis. The conference had been called for by an organiza-
tion in the then C.S.S.R. (Czechoslovak Socialist Republic) known as the Peace Organ-
ization, which is dedicated to promoting peace in all regions of the world, including
Africa, Asia, and the Middle East.
Intifada The uprising of the Palestinian people against their Israeli occupiers.
Jabotinski-Likud Policy A policy that advocates the complete extermination of the Pales-
tinians as well as the forcible occupation of Palestine by the Jews. This concept of anni-
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KEY TERMS AND ORGANIZATIONS • vii
hilation was developed by Vladimir Jabotinski, a right-wing Zionist who was born in
Russia in 1880.
Likud The Israeli extreme Zionist party, now headed by former prime minister Binyamin
Netanyahu (in office from June 1996–July 1999), who also served as the finance minis-
ter of Israel until 2005.
Lod The Palestinian town where George Habash was born. Israelis confiscated the land and
built Ben Gurion Airport on it.
Madrid Conference A Middle East peace conference that was called for by the United States
and Russia; the aim was to have Palestinians and Israelis negotiate terms of peace on the
basis of the UN Security Council Resolution 242.
Mitchell Report The Mitchell Report, published in 2001, presented the results of a fact-
finding committee that investigated the cause for the start of the Al-Aqsa Intifada. The
report determined that, despite Israel’s claims to the contrary, the Palestinian Authority
did not plan the Intifada. The report indicated that, while neither party deliberately in-
stigated the conflict, both bore some responsibility.
Occupied Territories The West Bank and Gaza Strip, which were captured by Israel during
the Six Days’ War in 1967.
Oslo Accord The agreement signed, on September 13, 1993, by a delegation of the PLO and
an Israeli delegation of the ruling Labor Party, which was intended to provide a frame-
work for a permanent resolution to the conflict.
Palestinian Authority The Palestinian Authority was formed in 1994, and governs the Pales-
tinian territories of the West Bank and Gaza Strip. It functions in an administrative ca-
pacity within the PLO.
Palestine Liberation Army (PLA) The military organization of the PLO. The Arab League
decided to establish the PLA side-by-side with the PLO to recruit Palestinians into one
army that would be under the control of the Arab armies.
Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) The official representative of the Palestinian peo-
ple. It includes all organizations in its legislative and executive bodies (see PLO chart).
Palestine National Council The Parliament of the Palestinians.
Ramadan The Muslim religious period that takes place every year during the ninth month
on the Islamic calendar (lunar). During this month, Muslim adults refrain from all food
and drink (and cigarettes) from sunrise until sunset in order to learn about self-sacrifice,
patience, and humility. During this holy time, Muslims purify themselves by seeking for-
giveness and doing good deeds.
Resolution 242 A unanimous decision taken by the UN Security Council on November 22,
1967, which called for Israel to withdraw from Arab lands it had occupied in June 1967.
It also called for the Arab states to recognize the state of Israel and live in peace.
Resolution 338 A confirmation of Resolution 242.
Sabra and Shatilla Two Palestinian refugee camps south of Beirut, the capital Lebanon. The
Israelis and extreme right-wing Lebanese Phalangists (the political and military force of
the Maronite Church in Lebanon since 1958), attacked the civilians in the camps. Thou-
sands of people were massacred, and then bulldozed under the rubble to hide the extent
of the slaughter.
Safad An important Palestinian city overlooking Lake Tiberius. It was also the home of Dr.
Wadi’ Haddad.
Six Days’ War The war waged by Israel on June 5, 1967, against Egypt, Syria, and Jordan.
Within six days, Israel had occupied the Sinai and the Gaza Strip in Egypt, the Golan
Heights in Syria, and the West Bank of Jordan.
Tanzim A secret or underground military organization.
Tenet Plan A proposal presented on June 10, 2001, by then-CIA director George Tenet, to
Israel and the Palestinian Authority in an effort to seek a cease-fire that could eventually
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viii • ARAFAT AND THE DREAM OF PALESTINE
lead to a peace settlement between the two parties. Both sides accepted the plan, with
some amendments, but Israel never complied.
Troika A committee of three European countries represented by a past president of one of
the countries plus an incumbent president of another, and the next president-elect of an-
other one of the countries. They are responsible for steering the affairs of the European
Union for a two-year period and they change periodically.
UAE (United Arab Emirates) The strongest and richest Arab Gulf state. It includes Abu
Dhabi, Dubai, Qatar, Dubai, Sharja, and Al-Ein.
Waqf An unalienable religious endowment in Islam that was established between the sev-
enth and ninth centuries. It usually denotes a building or a piece of land that is to be used
only for Muslim religious or charitable purposes. The Western equivalent would be the
common law trust.
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PRINCIPAL
CHARACTERS
Abu Abbas (Mohammad Abbas) During the 1976 civil war in Lebanon, he and another
member of the PFLP, Tala’at Yacoub, led a split in the PLO that was headed by Ahmad
Jibril, who had aligned his forces with Syria. Abbas was a charismatic leader who planned
many spectacular military operations, the last of which was when he led an attack on the
shores of Israel (Tel Aviv) on May 30, 1990. In 1993, he laid down his arms when Arafat
signed the Oslo Peace Accord, saying that the time for an armed struggle was over and
it was time for Palestinians to concentrate on building Palestine.
Abu Ammar (Father of Ammar) The nickname of Yasser Arafat, head of Fateh and presi-
dent of the PLO.
Abu Hisham Founding member of Fateh.
Abu Iyad (Salah Mesbah Khalaf) He was in charge of security for the Central Committee
of Fateh, and was also the deputy chief and head of intelligence for the PLO. He main-
tained a bilateral relationship with all European intelligence services. Considered to be
part of Arafat’s “inner kitchen,” he was the number-two man in the PLO after Arafat. He
was assassinated in Tunis on January 14, 1991, by an Abu Nidal operative.
Abu Jihad (Khalil Ibrahim Al-Wazir) A leading member of the Central Committee of
Fateh. He was in charge of all organizations and activities in the Occupied West Bank and
Gaza Strip. He was also one of the leaders of the Intifada. He was assassinated in Tunisia
on April 16, 1988 by Israeli Special Forces led by Ehud Barak.
Abu Khaled (Family name: Al-Amla) A colonel in Fateh who split from Arafat in 1982.
He was heavily influenced by the Syrians.
Abu Musa (Family name: Maragha) A colonel in Fateh, also heavily influenced by the Syr-
ians, who split from Arafat in 1982 with Abu Khaled.
Abu Nidal (Sabri Khalil Al-Banna) Leader of a radical group of Palestinians who rejected
all proposals for a peaceful settlement with Israel. He was responsible for attacks on over
twenty countries and for the deaths/injuries of over nine hundred people.
Abu Yousef Abu Najjar A member of the Central Committee of Fateh, he oversaw opera-
tions in Lebanon.
Ahmad Jibril He served in the Syrian army from 1956 to 1958. He was kicked out of the
army when he was suspected of being a Communist. He founded the Palestine Libera-
tion Front, and in 1967 joined George Habash to found the PFLP. When conflicts arose