Yasser Arafat Dead at 75

All the network websites are reporting as of tonight that Yasser Arafat died in a Paris hospital at 3:30 am (9:30 pm Eastern). We've been through this before in the past few days but this time it seems pretty legitimate. This time, Saeb Erakat, chief negotiator for Palestine was the one to make the proclamation.

President Bush has made his statement:

"The death of Yasser Arafat is a significant moment in Palestinian history. We express our condolences to the Palestinian people. For the Palestinian people, we hope that the future will bring peace and the fulfillment of their aspirations for an independent, democratic Palestine that is at peace with its neighbors. During the period of transition that is ahead, we urge all in the region and throughout the world to join in helping make progress toward these goals and toward the ultimate goal of peace."

I wish I could be as optimistic as that. Whereas Bush's statement is more directed as the Palestinian people, French President Jacques Chirac made a statement that is more fawning towards the fallen PLO leader:

"It is with emotion that I have just learnt of the death of President Yasser Arafat, the first elected president of the Palestinian Authority. I offer my very sincere condolences to his family and to people close to him."

Reports have said that Arafat's funeral will likely take place in Cairo and the burial will take place in Ramallah. If Palestinian leaders have it their way, the Ramallah tomb will only be temporary. However, Israelis justifiably see it differently.

Arafat's family had wanted him buried in Jerusalem, but the Israeli government forbade that.
"Jerusalem is the city where Jewish kings are buried, and not Arab terrorists," Israeli Justice Minister Yosef Lapid said last week. Erakat vowed that the grave in Ramallah would be temporary.

I am waiting for the rest of the world's (and more importantly, the Middle East's) reaction on Thursday morning. I hope that all will remain relatively peaceful as it did following the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin in 1995.