How Not to Deal with Arafat

It was a question "from a fundamental, moral point of view" to "every man of conscience", said the Israeli Deputy Prime Minister, Ehud Olmert, on television on September 14. "How many more civilians must be killed," he asked, "before someone will come and say, 'Hey, let's stop the man who has been responsible for all of this?"' He added: "Arafat can no longer be a factor in what happens. The question is: How are we going to do it? Expulsion is certainly one option, and killing is also one of the options."

So, Yasser Arafat is the man responsible for the killing of Israeli civilians. Kill him, and the killing of Israeli civilians will stop. If only it were that simple. Yet killing the elected leader of the Palestinian Authority will not stop the suicide bombers Hamas so readily calls up from the Palestinian underclass in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.

True, it might well be that as long as Mr Arafat remains in power there is no chance of peace. But by suggesting his assassination, Mr Olmert implicitly conceded Mr Arafat's relevance, if not his importance, as the embodiment of Palestinian identity and aspirations. Terrorism must be met by forceful preventive measures, but it cannot be ended by responding with force alone, or wild threats. As Mr Olmert's ill-considered musings show, such reflexive action only plays into the hands of terrorists.

The Israeli Foreign Minister, Silvan Shalom, has since said no move against Mr Arafat is imminent, and killing him was "not the official policy of the Israeli Government". Israel has been spared a vote of censure in the UN Security Council by the United States using its veto. But damage has been done, especially since Mr Olmert's musings had followed a formal decision by the Israeli security cabinet four days previously endorsing "removal" of Mr Arafat. That decision, taken after two Hamas-inspired suicide bombings that killed 15 people, was in general terms. It was first seen to suggest exile. After Mr Olmert's comments, a darker Israeli intention emerged, even if not fully formed.

In the fighting since September 2000, about 830 Israelis have been killed. But so have more than 2800 Palestinians. Peace negotiations need a fresh start. They will get that when the position of a new, moderate leadership in the Palestinian Authority is strengthened by having something to show for a willingness to co-operate with Israel. That means substantial moves to dismantle Israeli settlements in the West Bank and Gaza.