Editorial: Business as usual for terrorist Arafat

Friday, May 10, 2002 | 4:20 a.m.

Shortly after last week's suicide bombing outside Tel Aviv that killed 15 Israelis, Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat condemned the terrorist attack in Arabic and the Palestinian Authority arrested 16 members of Hamas, the terrorist group that claimed responsibility for the bombing. President Bush characterized Arafat's statement as an "incredibly positive sign," but before we start throwing too many congratulations Arafat's way, we should remember a few things about Arafat.

In the past Arafat has employed a "revolving door" theory of criminal justice, releasing terrorism suspects just about as fast as they are apprehended. Once international pressure relents, the terrorists are let loose again, allowing them to kill and maim more Israelis. An Associated Press story last week also noted that while some members of Hamas were locked up, the terrorist group's leaders walked around without a worry at all on Thursday: Hamas founder Sheik Ahmed Yassin was attending his daughter's wedding reception and a Yassin deputy, university lecturer Mahmoud Zahar, was at home preparing for exams. So much for a real crackdown on Hamas.

In the past year and a half after peace talks broke down, Arafat has encouraged the escalation of terrorism against Israel. A terrorist group with ties to Arafat, Al Aksa Martyrs Brigades, has been responsible for many of the deadly suicide bombings within the past year. Now we are supposed to believe that Arafat has made a 180-degree turn and is a "man of peace"? Terrorism and fear are the tools of Arafat's trade. The Bush administration shouldn't be fooled into believing otherwise.