I warned in An Open Letter to Arafat on July 4, 2002: "In recent weeks, I have been very concerned about your personal safety. I well know the Israeli government and military are quite capable of an ˜accidental" execution of you by means of some supposedly wayward shelling."
What will happen if Arafat gets killed? It will answer no problem but will only unleash far greater violence.
Arafat is again supported strongly by his people, especially since he is under siege, in spite of whatever flaws we all know he may have as an administrative leader. There is no alternative to Arafat at the moment.

Taking down the Palestinian flag from his headquarters and replacing it with an Israeli flag is like rubbing Arafat's face in the dirt, almost in the manure; a civilized country does not do this, but Sharon's Israel has. Humiliation will not restore peace and will only again lead to more desire for revenge and so on and on.

It has been reported that some Israeli officials say that Arafat can leave Palestine but not return. I do not believe that they can force Arafat to ask for refuge abroad. I don't believe he ever will do that at this crucial time in the Palestinian struggle.

I hope, and I am sorry I show my bias, that he will go down fighting and rather die than surrender ignobly like that. I would be heartbroken if that ever happened, either his death or exile. I have met Arafat several times, and we talked at length. He showed his great respect for Judaism. He knew the difference between Zionism and Judaism and Zionists and Jews. And he always maintained that very essential difference which unfortunately most American leaders do not.