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Has Arafat Lost It?
Reports persist that the PLO leader's mental
state is severely hampering his ability to
function.
DOUGLAS DAVIS FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT
y
The Zero Point Specialists
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ou must do something,
cluding Gaza and Jericho."
you must make some
Mr. Neriah's attempts to pla-
concessions to my peo-
cate the PLO leader only evoked
ple," pleaded PLO leader
further anger: "I am not wait-
Yassir Arafat when Israeli
ing any longer," shouted Chair-
Housing Minister Binyamin
man Arafat. "In two minutes I
Ben-Eliezer visited his Tunis
will leave this room and tell the
headquarters earlier this month
media that all is lost. I will tell
to discuss technical arrange-
them that I made a mistake in
ments for the Cairo summit
signing the agreement and I
with Prime Min-
will ask Allah to
ister Yitzhak
forgive me. I
Rabin.
will not allow Is-
Mr.Ben-Eli-
rael to humili-
ezer left, promis-
ate me."
ing to pass on
Mr. Neriah's
the message to
final request to
the prime minis-
the PLO chair-
ter, but the
man to stop
melodrama was
sending faxes to
not simply for
Mr. Rabin's of-
effect. When
fice bearing the
Chairman Ara-
inscription,
fat's aides en-
"President of
tered their
Palestine,"
leader's office a
prompted a re-
few moments
newed outburst:
later, they found
"I am the presi-
him convulsed
dent. I am His
in tears.
Excellency the
`That was the Yasser Arafat:
President of
first time I saw Has he lost his f acuities?
Palestine."
this man cry
Reports that
like a baby," said one senior
Chaiiiiian Arafat has become
aide. "Not just tears in his eyes,
psychologically unhinged is not
but heartfelt sobbing that shook
a matter of Israeli propaganda
his entire body. Arafat is a
or satisfaction. Indeed, Israeli
brave man, not a man of tears,
officials are reluctant to concede
but he has simply collapsed."
that the PLO leader's mental
Nor was this extraordinary
health may in any way be im-
emotional outburst an isolat-
paired.
ed lapse. When the Palestine
They have, after all, gambled
Liberation Organization leader
everything on striking a deal
and the prime minister met in
with him and they know that if
Cairo to delay implementation
they lose this high-stakes game,
of their Declaration of Princi-
they may well have to face not
ples, he was again close to tears.
only the violent, uncompromis-
According to sources close to
ing face of the Islamic extrem-
the Israeli leader, Chairman
ists, but also the possible
Arafat pleaded: "Mr. Prime
collapse of the peace process
Minister, help me," he said.
itself.
"Understand me. I am in trou-
Israelis are not alone in ex-
ble. You know that, so please
pressing concern about the psy-
help me and try to understand
chological stability of the PLO
my position."
leader. According to the mass-
But the whimpering later
circulation Hebrew-language
gave way to an outburst of fury
daily Yediot Ahranot, Western
when Mr. Rabin aide Jacques
governments have been warn-
Neriah traveled to Tunis to ex-
ing Israel that Chairman
plain that Israel would not corn-
Arafat's mental state is dis-
promise on issues of security
turbed.
and would not allow the Pales-
Jordanian officials — who
tinians to control the border
this month discovered that
crossings from Jericho to Jor-
Chairman Arafat was unwill-
dan and from Gaza to Egypt.
ing to ratify an economic agree-
"OK, no problem," said Chair-
ment that had earlier been
man Arafat reportedly said
negotiated, at his direction, by
menacingly. "If this is what you
PLO economics chief Abu Ala'a
want, so be it. You want every-
— described his behavior as
thing, so you can keep it all, in-
"paranoid" and "obsessive."