Editorial: Arafat has lost all credibility

Thursday, June 20, 2002 | 9:03 a.m.

They have done it again. On Wednesday a suicide bomber set off explosives at a bus stop in Jerusalem, an attack that killed at least seven other people and injured more than 35. That deadly bombing came just one day after a suicide bombing on a Jerusalem bus in which 19 Israelis were killed. Despite Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's recent claims that he would crack down on terrorists, he hasn't been able -- or is unwilling -- to stop the suicide bombings. That shouldn't be too shocking since it was Arafat himself who more than a year and a half ago gave his tacit blessing to suicide bombings after peace efforts broke down between the Palestinians and Israelis.

The recent bombings also came just as President Bush was ready to outline some of the steps that he believes should be taken to eventually reach a peace in the Middle East. Bush aides have said that the president is prepared to grant provisional status for a Palestinian state once the Palestinian Authority makes progress on reforming its governing body and curtailing terrorism. It would seem, however, that the more concessions that are granted to Arafat, the more they invite a response laced with terrorism by Palestinian extremists. In light of the latest bombings, the president was right to hold off, for now at least, presenting a plan for Palestinian statehood.

The president still must remain engaged in the region, however, and he should work hard to determine what's the best way to forge a lasting peace there. But no action should be taken by the U.S. government that would threaten Israel's security. What is certain, and has been evident for more than a year now, is that Arafat has become irrelevant. Negotiating with Arafat is meaningless. Arafat has got to go. Otherwise, what's the sense of signing a peace agreement with someone if the cycle of violence only continues?