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Palestinians fear the worst if Iraq attackedWednesday 01 Jan 2003
author: Jordan Times
summary
"We fear Israel will force president Arafat and the members of the Palestinian administration into exile and displace the population in an internal transfer operation", said Mamduh Nawfal, an adviser to the Palestinian leader.
http://www.jordantimes.com/wed/news/news8.htm
Wednesday, January 1, 2003
RAMALLAH, West Bank (AFP) Palestinian officials are increasingly worried that Israel will use the opportunity of a US war on Iraq to launch widescale operations against the Palestinian Authority, sweeping it and its leader Yasser Arafat into exile.
We fear Israel will force president Arafat and the members of the Palestinian administration into exile and displace the population in an internal transfer operation, said Mamduh Nawfal, an adviser to the Palestinian leader.
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Israeli Foreign Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who leads the hardliners in Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's Likud Party had said in November that a US strike on Iraq would provide an ideal opportunity to oust Arafat.
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Sakher Habash, a central committee member of Arafat's ruling Fateh movement, predicted that no scenario should be ruled out and that Sharon will do everything he can to fight the Intifada.
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Political analyst Hani Al Masri also forecast that Sharon would take advantage of all eyes being focused on Iraq to press on with his own war on terror by imposing an Israeli solution to the conflict.
This would include an internal population transfer, the occupation of the Gaza Strip and Arafat's exile, he said.
Transfer of Palestinians east of the Jordan has been advocated by many far-right politicians in Israel who could enter the next government if the dovish Amram Mitzna's Labour refuses to form a coalition with Likud, which
polls say will comfortably win the Jan. 28 legislative elections.
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