Israeli Right Reacts Strongly to Arafat's Visit to Gaza

The Palestine Liberation Organization's (PLO) announcement that Chairman Yasser Arafat would arrive in the Gaza Strip for a three-day visit sparked strong reactions from members of the Israeli right. Arafat's arrival, scheduled for Friday, was condemned by opposition leader Binyamin Netanyahu, who called it "the peak of the journey of national degradation and shame of the Rabin government." Netanyahu also claimed that Arafat's visit would "concretely demonstrate the capitulation of the Israeli government" in accepting the 1967 borders and establishing a Palestinian nation under Arafat's leadership.

The Council of West Bank and Gaza Settlements called for demonstrations in Jerusalem and around the country, releasing a statement that attacked the government for allowing "the head murderer" to enter the country on the Sabbath. A spokeswoman for Gush Katif, the largest Jewish settlement in the Gaza Strip, stated that Jewish residents would join the rest of the settlers in protest, targeting the government as the primary object of their discontent.

In a particularly intense statement, Hanan Porat of the National Religious Party warned against Arafat visiting Jerusalem, labeling the event a "disgrace too great to bear." Porat's swift condemnation further emphasized the entrenched opposition to Arafat's presence among Israeli hardliners. Many in Israel still view the PLO as a terrorist organization, fueling a desire for justice and aversion towards concessions to Arafat.

Key Takeaways:

• The Israeli right strongly condemned the Palestine Liberation Organization's (PLO) announcement of Chairman Yasser Arafat's three-day visit to the Gaza Strip.
• Binyamin Netanyahu, head of the opposition Likud party, called Arafat's visit "the peak of the journey of national degradation and shame of the Rabin government."
• Netanyahu also accused Arafat's visit would "concretely demonstrate the capitulation of the Israeli government" to accepting the 1967 borders and establishing a Palestinian nation under Arafat's leadership.
• The Council of West Bank and Gaza Settlements called for demonstrations in Jerusalem and around the country, stating that the visit would be a "violation of our land and the holy Sabbath."
• Hanan Porat of the National Religious Party warned that Arafat's visit to Jerusalem would be a "disgrace too great to bear" and attacked him as a "head murderer."
• Datya Hershkovitz, a Gush Katif spokeswoman, stated that Jewish residents would join the rest of the settlers in protest, targeting the government as the primary object of their discontent.

Statistics:

• None explicitly stated in the source.

Sources:

• Written by Michael Kellman, edited by Paul Shindman