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Abbas, Mahmoud

Condoleezza Rice's Visit to Ramallah: A Snub to Yasser Arafat and the Palestinians

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's recent visit to Ramallah, where she met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, has been met with criticism from Palestinians who feel a snub was directed towards the late Yasser Arafat. Arafat's glass-enclosed tomb, located in the Palestinian government headquarters, was passed by Rice's motorcade just 200 yards away, a move seen as a sign of disrespect by many. For two years prior to Arafat's death, President Bush had refused to talk to the Palestinian leader, citing his responsibility for terrorism against Israelis as a prerequisite for peace negotiations.

Key Takeaways:

  • Rice's visit to the Palestinian government headquarters in Ramallah was the first by a US Secretary of State since 2002.
  • Rice passed within 200 yards of Yasser Arafat's glass-enclosed tomb, sparking criticism from Palestinians who felt a snub was directed towards the late leader.
  • President Bush had refused to talk to Arafat for two years prior to his death, citing his responsibility for terrorism against Israelis as a prerequisite for peace negotiations.
  • Other leaders, including former President Jimmy Carter, German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer, and British Foreign Minister Jack Straw, have visited Arafat's burial site since his death.
  • Rice's decision to not visit Arafat's tomb has been seen as a sign of the "post-Arafat era" beginning, with Middle East expert Shibley Telhami stating that "people are looking more for real change . . . than for simple gestures."
  • The Palestinian people are unhappy with Rice's decision, with Fawaz Gerges, a Middle East expert at Sarah Lawrence College, stating that "in Arab political culture, one must show respect and dignity to fallen enemies."
  • Arafat's burial site includes his signature black and white checked kaffiyeh and is protected by an honor guard.
  • The site was visited by former President Jimmy Carter, German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer, and British Foreign Minister Jack Straw.
  • Even British Prime Minister Tony Blair, a staunch US ally, paid his respects to Arafat's tomb in December 2004, pausing briefly outside the glass covering and nodding in silence.

Statistics:

  • Two years: the amount of time President Bush refused to talk to Arafat prior to his death.
  • 50 years: the amount of time Arafat led the Palestinian people.
  • 200 yards: the distance between Rice's motorcade and Yasser Arafat's glass-enclosed tomb.
  • November 11: the date of Yasser Arafat's death.
  • 2002: the year when Secretary of State Colin Powell visited Arafat in his besieged headquarters during Israel's incursion into the West Bank.

Sources:

  • Fawaz Gerges, a Middle East expert at Sarah Lawrence College in New York.
  • Ali Sawafta, a journalist with WAFA, the Palestinian news agency.
  • Shibley Telhami, a Middle East expert at the University of Maryland.
  • "Condoleezza Rice's Visit to Ramallah: A Snub to Yasser Arafat and the Palestinians" by Andrea Stone, published in an online article.

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