A letter to Arafat

national | miscellaneous | news report Friday May 31, 2002 00:51 by Tomas

Dear President Arafat, Let me begin by saying I am an American citizen

I do not need to enumerate the great suffering of the Palestinian people over the last century, those of us who have followed your life's path have often wondered at your endurance and optimistic spirit. While like all of us President Arafat, you are fallible and may have made some mistakes along the way, we are pleased that you leadership echoes the essence of the Palestinian people desire for freedom and justice.

It is therefore with humility that I approach the present situation in occupied Palestine. I need to request that you make every effort to ensure that no member of the Palestinian Authority agrees to meet with any member of the US government until it acts in a moral and decent manner towards the Palestinian Authority and acknowledges your right as President to encourage the Palestinian people to resist occupation at all costs.

I also implore you ensure that no member of your authority meet with any member of the Israeli Government until Sharon removes his troops beyond the "Green Line"

I further ask that you acknowledge to the world that the United States government has under President Clinton betrayed the Palestinian people by lying to the world about the Camp David so called "generous offer", that America is not an honest broker and has failed and demeaned the aspirations of all who have fallen in your struggle for freedom and independence.

I respectively ask that you take these actions and forever discard into oblivion the possibility that any leader, be he American or Israeli should speak of the Palestinian's people right to defend themselves as terrorism.

We have witnessed your struggle and that of your people. We have seen your children Martyred and we understand their rage and grief. We bear witness to their bravery and their search for justice.

There is only one thing, which is worse than death to a proud people and that is humiliation. As leader of Palestine, you can no longer allow humiliation to be the bread you people survive on. Dignity requires that you stand in the face of these dark forces and utter loudly to the world that any act which stands in the way of Justice for your people will be resisted.

President Arafat, the world is watching and is aware of the favoritism and support the American government has provided Israel. In fact, the world knows that without Americas support Israel would not exist today. It is time Mr. President to "Speak Truth To Power" and insist on the US removing itself from the stage of Middle Eastern politics and allowing the parties in dispute to mediate terms for peace through the United Nations

I trust that you will forgive my impudence. Please accept that these words are born of nothing other than a desire to ensure that the Palestinian struggle for freedom is acknowledged as such and that its people are viewed with the respect and dignity they deserve.