Yasser Arafat endorses Kerry

[fintstone]

Yasser Arafat endorses Kerry
Thinks Democratic senator 'better for Palestinian cause'

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Posted: October 18, 2004
8:35 p.m. Eastern


By Aaron Klein
© 2004 WorldNetDaily.com

Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat is hoping John Kerry wins the presidential election in November, several Palestinian leaders told WorldNetDaily.

Arafat deputy and chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat told WND in an exclusive interview that while "we do not involve ourselves in internal American politics," at the same time "our region has been sliding deeper and deeper into chaos because of certain policies over the past few years, and this needs to change."

While he would not directly endorse Kerry, it was clear Erekat was implying the PA wants a change in White House leadership: "If things continue the way they are, if certain policies toward our region are maintained in the years to come, there is going to be a lot of violence on both sides."

A prominent Arafat aide who asked that his name be withheld spoke to WorldNetDaily from Arafat's battered Ramallah compound.

"The president [Arafat] is frustrated with Bush's policies," he said. "The president [Arafat] thinks Kerry will be much better for the Palestinian cause and for the establishment of a Palestinian state."

Also today, PA Foreign Minister Nabil Shaath said the future of the Israeli-Palestinian peace process is unsure if George W. Bush is re-elected to office, and he complained the U.S. presidential election was stalling the Middle East peace process.

"During an American election and the three months after, allies of the United States should do more work than they would do otherwise." Shaath told a news conference.

While the comments mark the first time the PA has endorsed Kerry on the record, it has not been a secret that Arafat is frustrated with Bush's leadership.

Israel Military Intelligence Chief Maj. Gen. Aharon Ze'evi has warned Arafat is biding his time until November, when the Palestinian leader hopes President Bush will be voted out of office and Ariel Sharon's coalition government will fall.

"Arafat is waiting for November in the hope George Bush will lose the election to John Kerry," Ze'evi told Army Radio in July. "He also hopes that the Israeli government will fall, so he can take center stage diplomatically."

Since 2002, Washington has fully backed Jerusalem's decision to isolate the Palestinian Authority president, who Sharon says is directly involved in planning terrorism and is an obstacle to peacemaking.

Many Israeli and American Jewish leaders have been expressing concern that a Kerry administration will cause more violence in the Middle East and could bring Arafat back to power. They say they are worried about Kerry's statements of coordinating American foreign policy with the Europeans, some of whom favor talks with Arafat, and are disturbed by Kerry's appointment of several former Clinton Mideast policy directors as advisers, particularly former U.S. Ambassador to Israel Martin Indyk.

Many blame Clinton's failed approach to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict –which sought Israeli territorial concessions for promises of peace by Arafat and ignored indications of growing Palestinian militancy and violations of security-reform agreements – for partially causing the current intifada.

Indyk, who helped devise the 1993 Oslo Accords, was a driving force behind Clinton's assessment of Arafat as a statesman and urged Clinton to accept Arafat as the legitimate ruler of the Palestinians. Under Indyk's advisory, Arafat visited the White House during the Clinton administration 24 times, more than any other world leader during those eight years.

[slakjaw]

yeah so, Putin endorses Bush

both of them have 1 thing in commen = they arnt voters, and they do not influence votes in this country.

so who cares

[fintstone]

Yep

Leader of the 2nd most powerful nation in the world backs Bush...
Leader of a pitiful group of failed terrorists that is typically under house arrest in his own office backs Kerry

sounds about right to me

[slakjaw]

you didnt answer the who cares part

lol
Kyle

[fintstone]

I think that most rational folks are concerned when most of the world's terrorists and petty, two-bit dictators support a particular candidate. It show that they have a better understanding of the character of that candidate than many of his US supporters.

[slakjaw]

I have to disagree with that I dont think anyone cares a damn bit about Arafat or putin, at least I dont. If I could say anything I wanted to either of em it would be "we have our own country to worry about, so shut the **** up"

Kyle

[fintstone]

Well, you must remember all the bragging that kerry did about "world leaders" who wanted him reelected......Now that we know who those leaders are...he probably wishes as you...that noone cares.

[slakjaw]

well no one should care what other leaders think of our election. thats why its our election. If you are referring to getting help in the war on terror. Those 10 countrys that said we like bush or Kerry or whatever are still gonna support us nomatter who wins the election. so let them talk all they want they still wont have any pull on who gets elected. I am for Kerry OK. but when he said 8 out of 10 countrys want me over Bush I was like so what it didnt make me jump up and down in joy or anything like that.

anyways, it was nice haveing a civilized convesation with you for once kinda fun too.

see ya
Kyle

[cool_chick]

TEHRAN, Iran A nation considered part of the so-called "axis of evil" is endorsing George W. Bush -- the man who called it "evil" in the first place.

Officials in Iran say despite that label, their country wants President Bush to be re-elected.

They say that in the past, Democrats have done more harm to Iran than Republicans. In particular, they point to sanctions that went in place under former President Clinton.

This marks the first time in decades that Iran has openly supported any American presidential candidate.

The head of Iran's security council says while Iran doesn't appreciate President Bush's remarks about Iran, he hasn't taken any dangerous actions against the country.

The U-S cut diplomatic ties with Iran in 1979. The Bush administration says the country is secretly trying to build nuclear weapons and has hidden terrorists within its borders

[Mule]

All we're waiting on now is bin laden's endorsement. Who do you think it will be.

[MichiganMat]

Isn't Putin a Communist?
A communist who is trying to crush a freedom movement in his country?

Not the kind of guy Id want an endorsement from, especially considering his overwhelming success at quelling terrorism in his country, and the state of his economy.

Putin and Shrub are made for eachother.

[speeder]

Originally posted by Mule
All we're waiting on now is bin laden's endorsement. Who do you think it will be.

Bin Laden is the biggest Bush supporter on earth, Christ he might as well be a millionaire gross polluter from Texas. Bush has been a gift from Allah for BL and Islamic terrorists, a galvanising figure, a lightning rod if you will, responsible for more recruitment than 100 Osamas.

Islamic terrorism is an ideological movement that does not even require an active leader, (witness the absence of BL since 9/11), it is growing at an alarming rate in dozens of countries at an unprecedented rate. Invading M.E. countries is about as counter-productive to battling terrorism as anything imaginable. Of course it may become inevitible at times, (Afghanistan was justified), but Iraq has proved to be disasterous for global anti-terrorism. About the only good that will come out of invading Iraq appears to be its value as a case study of foreign policy failure for future generations of students.

Some of you still don't think that a President needs to be learned on world matters and smart enough to learn very quickly about history, other cultures, etc.., I would disagree.

[fintstone]

Originally posted by MichiganMat
Isn't Putin a Communist?
A communist who is trying to crush a freedom movement in his country?
...

Isn't Putin the duly elected leader of Russia? Oh right, lets do the Kerry thing and dis all our allies and sleep with our enemies.

Putin is probably less communist than Kerry or Kerry's two biggest endorsers..the communist leaders of North Korea and Cuba.