Albawaba.com
Amman
Secretary of PLO’s mainstream Fateh movement in the West Bank, Marwan Barghouthi has demanded that the Arab leaders meeting at a summit in Amman in March be “up to the challenges brought about by the rising of [Israeli Prime Minister-elect Ariel] Sharon,” and take his threats to attack Syria and Lebanon seriously.
In a telephone interview with Albawaba.com on Wednesday, the popular leader called on Arab countries to “sever all links with Israel and intensify procedures of economic boycott” of the Jewish state.
Bargouthi, a hated figure in Israel accused of being behind military operations against Israeli soldiers and settlers in the West bank, dismissed rumors that the Intifada “has gone out of its field leadership’s control,” stressing that even individual operations carried out by members of the National Security forces and activists are legitimate acts that “fall within the context of resistance.”
According to the leader, such acts are a logical result of “the Israeli aggression and violence against the Palestinians.” He added that there are two factors that fuel anti-Israeli sentiments among the Palestinians.
“There is a sense of defiance to Sharon and his government amid expectations of more Israeli repression, and, secondly, there is the deteriorating Palestinian economy,” he said.
The Fateh official criticized the Arab states for delay in sending the donations promised at the Cairo summit in October, which led to unbearably harsh economic conditions in the Palestinian territories, reminding that there are about 150,00 workers who lost their jobs, coupled with a high unemployment rate amid decrease in per capita income.
Commenting on the tour of the region by US State Secretary Colin Powell, Barghouthi said the Intifada was expecting nothing from the new US administrations in light of the fact that its first move was launching air strikes against Iraq.
He said that if the new government in Washington wants to bring about peace in the Middle East, it has to take into consideration that the reason behind the former administration’s failure was that they did not work on implementing international resolutions related to the Arab-Israeli conflict.
