The maneuverings around Arafat's death are stuff that would be dismissed as unrealistic by most Soap Opera fans.
HT: Isreallycool: Haaretz -
French officials who have been following Yasser Arafat's treatment were astonished to discover that Suha Arafat's constant companion and financial adviser was none other than Pierre Rizk, who headed the intelligence service of the Phalanga during the Lebanese civil war and was in close personal contact with the guerrilla group responsible for the massacre at the Sabra and Shatilla refugee camp in 1982.
Rizk has been spotted in or near Percy Hospital in recent days. Since Rizk holds power of attorney for Suha Arafat, French and Palestinian officials have been in constant contact with him over Suha Arafat's financial demands, which she says are designed to ensure the financial future of her and her daughter. The outcome of these contacts is still not clear.
Rizk, a Maronite Lebanese, is well known to Israeli officials, and has spent long periods in Israel where he met with government officials and private business figures. Israelis who have met with him in person describe him as a colorful figure, and say that he is something of a womanizer.
Because of his position within the Phalangas, he has extensive contacts with several international intelligence agencies. Living in Paris since his exile from Lebanon, Rizk is an international businessman with operations in Europe and the United States.
In 1999, Rizk won a legal suit he filed in the U.S. courts against the PA. The suit, which created quite a stir in financial circles in the PA, was based on a promise made to Rizk by Yasser Arafat just before the signing of the Oslo Accords in 1993, that he would be granted the license to develop the communications infrastructure in the West Bank.
Rizk obtained a note, signed by Arafat, in which he undertook to award the contract to International Technology Integrated (ITI), a company incorporated in the U.S. At the same time, it now appears that Arafat was handing out similar notes to many other people and companies, promising them jobs, tenders and contracts in his future government.
I'm beginning to think that Mossad has turned Suha, and is using her to ensure that whoever winds up on top of this scrum is so weakened and poor that they can't do a lot of damage to Israel. Really, it makes about as much sense as any other explanation.
I'm expecting the announcement to come tomorrow, allowing the body to be buried after prayers on the final Friday of Ramadan, which, if I recall correctly, is a big deal.
My fear (stoked by Laurence) is that there will be some kind of human (well, roughly human) wave to get the body to the Dome of the Rock. The resulting violence will dwarf what followed Sharon's trip to the Mount in 2000. I fully expect the P.A. to hit bottom and keep digging.
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