Mortal combat
A Palestinian suicide bombing in Jerusalem—the first in the 16-month long uprising to be perpetrated by a woman— marks a new twist in the grim downward spiral of Israeli- Palestinian violence

Mr Arafat is also talking about death—his own. “Please God, give me the honour of being one of Jerusalem’s martyrs,” he told a delegation of Palestinians on January 26th. It was the second time he had used the word “martyrdom” in less than a week.

For Israel such language is merely a nod to the Palestinian factions to wreak their vengeance within its cities. But Palestinians detect a darker meaning.

“When Arafat invokes martyrdom it means he is readying people for his final battle,” says an aide who has been with the Palestinian leader for 30 years. “And if America closes all doors on him, he will let the ground burn so that everything will be destroyed. And then the world’s choice will be clear: either deal with him as the chosen leader of his people or allow Ariel Sharon to kill him”.
[read more]

As hope dies in epidemic of terror, hawks break ranks, resurrect separation concept

Sharon's OK Corral
With the Americans behind him, the Israeli leader thinks he can force Yasser Arafat into permanent exile

White House turns on Arafat

The enemy within
The blinkered Israeli prime minister lacks the benefit of forethought and ignores the lessons of hindsight, writes Brian Whitaker