[size=4]Foreigners Who Visited Arafat Arrested by Israeli Military[/size=4]
The Associated Press Published: Mar 31, 2002

JERUSALEM (AP) - Thirteen foreign peace activists who walked by Israeli troops surrounding Yasser Arafat's West Bank office and visited the besieged Palestinian leader were later arrested, the military said Monday.
Dozens of peace activists, their arms raised and carrying white flags, walked past Israeli troops, ignoring their orders to stop. Arafat, trapped in his office by the encircling Israeli forces, greeted them with hugs.

When they left, some from the group tried to smuggle wanted Palestinians with them, said Maj. Gen. Giora Eiland, chief of Israeli military operations, at a news conference.

The Israeli military spokesman's office said 13 of the activists were detained by soldiers after they left Arafat's office in the West Bank town of Ramallah and were turned over to Israeli police. The 13 are being held in a lockup.

The military said they could face charges for violating a military order closing the area of Arafat's compound to civilians.

Angered and embarrassed, the Israeli government widened its closure ordered and declared the entire town of Ramallah a closed military area, ordering all foreigners, including reporters, to leave.

See article at:[url]http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGAAPA2RHZC.html[/url]

Eric The(HaHaHa)Hun[>]:)]

They were just practicing a new way for suicide bombers to evade Israeli military troops.

It worked.

Remember Eric, Arafat is not the problem.

[url]www.savethehumans.com/culturebashing/editorial/arafat_not_problem/[/url]

I like the quote frm the Israeli soldier outside Arafat's office , " They use suicide bombers...We use tanks ." The way it came off on TV he will probably get an arse chewing from his superiors !

It seems that both are committed to war and neither can afford peace.

I would favor direct intervention by U.S. forces. Position them back to back and level a square mile if either side harmed one of our troops.

To me it seems that only direct intervention by God or the U.S. military will stop this insanity.

I further believe that occupation by Israel of all the Palestinian Territories would simply make the problem worse.  Occupation would require assuming some responsibility for the care of those who are being occupied.  We faced a similar situation at the end of WW II.

Sharon and Arafat; it is time for both to go.

Probably you are correct about the 'chewing'.
An honest and dispassionate assessment must be avoided at all costs.

If we sent a couple divisions (which we can't spare) we could do something to stop the low intensity warfare. It wouldn't stop the suicide bombings however, so the Israelis wouldn't be for it.