Arafat faces a crisis

by Hassan A. Barari

Egypt's role in shoring up Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat is indispensable. Loss of this role would badly affect the Palestinian leadership. Egypt has recently made some demands from Arafat, the realisation of which will help the Palestinian cause, yet weaken Arafat within the Palestinian body politic.

Apparently, Arafat's manoeuvring room is increasingly narrowing down. Time has come to make a brave decision that transcends personal considerations and helps the Palestinian cause. Failing to do so, Arafat will run the risk of losing the Egyptian umbrella.

After years of dealing with the Palestinian-Israeli track, the Egyptian leadership came to the conclusion that to avert unnecessary Palestinian losses, Arafat must be sidelined. Indeed, this is the conclusion of many Arabs, but those who voice it in public are a minority. That Egypt has formally asked Arafat to concede some of his prerogatives is a marked change in the Egyptian foreign policy vis-