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Palestinians seek U.N. security for Arafat

By Sridhar Krishnaswami

Washington SEPT. 15. Palestinians are demanding that the United Nations should ensure the safety and security of their leader, Yasser Arafat, after Israel announced its decision to "remove" him in a manner and a time-frame that is to be decided.

The United Nations Security Council began consultations on a resolution last Friday and has scheduled an open meeting on the developments in West Asia on Monday. The statement by the Israeli Vice-Prime Minister on Sunday — seen as appalling in some quarters — saying that killing Mr. Arafat is a possibility, has undoubtedly lent urgency to the Council meeting.

Over the weekend, the Security Council gave the impression that the respective capitals would have to be consulted as also in awaiting the outcome of the meeting the Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, had in Geneva with the Foreign Ministers of the Permanent Five. About the only consensus that could come about in the Council was a statement that the removal of Mr. Arafat "would be unhelpful and should not be implemented". The U.S. Secretary of State, Colin Powell, has criticised Israel's statements, saying any action on those lines would only incite anger among Arabs and Muslims all over the world; and at the United Nations, Washington has been saying that focus should be on the implementation of the road map and that this was not the right time to focus on a Security Council resolution.

In Geneva, Mr. Annan said the four parties involved in the road map — the United States, the United Nations, the European Union and Russia — will be meeting later this month to discuss all aspects of the issue. That meeting is expected to be around September 23 when the General Assembly debates begin and the Foreign Ministers of the quartet will be in New York.

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