YABFTFFMT (Yasser Arafat being flown to France for medical treatment. What is your ing POV??????????????????????????????????????????????? ?????????

 

They're flying him to france now?

 

No, he's been there a week.

 

He might be dead soon, or probably is and they are just not saying.

His death will give the Isreali's a huge problem.

 

I can only imagine the infighting amongst the old-school PLO members and the younger Palestineans. Could actually hinder the Palestinean's cause.

 

Very much so. Especially as Arafat didn;t clearly name either a successor or, details over the Palestinian bank accounts.

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/1362216.stm

Good rundown on possible successors.

I really hadn't thought about the financial issues. My assumption is that some of Arafat's close aides would be able to direct funds accordingly.

 

As far as I was aware (not that I consider myself an expert in the financial workings of the Palestinians) the only person with access to these funds was Arafat. He declined to resolve this before he left for Paris, on the basis that he would soon be returning.

 

Could very well be. I know he has been loathe to name a successor because he feared for his position if he did.

I honestly think good will come of this. Having the Palestineans fight over their leader will ultimately decide their fate - do they want to be a nation or do they want to be terrorist martyrs?

 

It gives me concern that there is no *clear* successor. Many leaders do this and it is never a good idea. It's the Lee Iacocca method. Lead with power and never have anyone who takes initiative. When Lee left, he left a company in good heath and it quickly deteriorated.

The difference here (Palestine) is that the succession might be bloody and filled with demonstrations of power... like civilian bombings.