Israel Matzav

Barghouti 'sold out' Arafat

Well, what a surprise. The 'Palestinian' hero Marwan Barghouti 'sold out' his boss, Yasser Arafat by giving Israel's Shin Bet the smoking gun that proved that Arafat was paying for the intifada.

After some hesitation, Barghouti provided the Shin Bet information that incriminated him and other senior members of Fatah's military wing. He confessed to transferring funds, some that arrived from Arafat's office, to leaders of the terror groups. In some incidents he funded the purchase of weapons and in others he received reports on the terror attacks.

In one incident – the shooting attack in which an Israeli citizen was killed near Givat Ze'ev – Barghouti confessed that he ordered the attack as revenge for the assassination of a senior Fatah official.

As to Arafat, the investigators were eager to get a "smoking gun" that would indicate that he gave clear instructions for terror attacks in Israel. Barghouti claimed that Arafat hinted his policy to the activists, who well understood his intentions, but said that the former Palestinian premier never gave direct orders to carry out terror attacks.

Barghouti said during his investigation that he chose to take part in the terror attacks against the Israel Defense Forces and settlers, among other things to bolster his reputation among public opinion in the West Bank. He said his decision was to give him priority over other leaders, who "didn't dirty their hands."

Barghouti said he opposed "gifts" from Israel and said, that, "A state should be established (on its own) and part of the process is bloodshed."

In two of the last investigations recorded in the documents, that took place on May 10 and 11, the investigators pressured Barghouti to give up information on Arafat. Barghouti responded, "But from the very fact that Arafat expressed opposition to carrying out attacks inside Israel, had he been opposed to the armed struggle inside the territories against the occupation, he would have made sure to transmit a specific order about that to all those involved."

The investigators continued pressuring Barghouti. "I explained to the subject that until he tells the truth about Abu Amar's (Arafat) part in launching attacks, his interrogation won't end."

Barghouti responded, "There was no need for direct instructions from Arafat. Things were understood between the lines. When Arafat would call for a cease-fire, he would convene the heads of Tanzim and instruct them and add that if the cease-fire were to end, they knew what they would have to do, when it was clear to everyone that he was talking about a continuation of military activity."

Did anyone ever believe it was otherwise? Arafat was the master of 'plausible deniability,' and while he continued to have it after this was discovered, it was clear to anyone with his eyes open that the denials were false.

Heh.

Labels: intifadeh, Marwan Barghouti, Yasser Arafat

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 5:42 AM