Pirate's Cove

Seems like doctors do not really know what is really wrong with Palestinian terrorist leader Yasser Arafat. He is undergoing tests, which I hope are really painful, and include foul tasting medicines as a bonus indignity. Plus one of those really skimpy hospital gowns, just to add injury to insult. ME people are very modesty conscience. Let him suffer even in little ways.

The BBC article is ripe with PLO Israeli targets leaders who are going to serve while Yasser is out:

The Palestine Liberation Organisation’s executive committee is set to meet for the first time without Mr Arafat.

Former Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas, who is standing in as PLO chairman during Mr Arafat’s absence, is expected to chair the meeting.

The day-to-day affairs of the Palestinian Authority are in the hands of the prime minister, Ahmed Qurei.

A former minister under Abbas, Ziad Amr, told AFP news agency the meeting is aimed at ensuring there is no “constitutional void” should Mr Arafat die or become incapacitated.

Constitutional void? They have a Consitution? (Part one in easier to read format here)

Article 3: The Palestinian people are a part of the Arab and Islamic nations.
The other Arab and Islamic nations are more then willing to kill in the Palestinians name, but have they been willing to provide aid and comfort for them, shelter them in ther countries, and push for a real peace for them? Not by more then lip service.

Article 23: A clean and sustainable environment is a human right. It shall be a societal and official responsibility to preserve and protect the Palestinian environment for present and future generations.
Does that include the billions of dollars that Arafat has siphoned away into his personal bank accounts, that could take the Palestinian people out of their squalid conditions, improving their living conditions? I guess not.

Article 26: The constitution guarantees the civil, political, social, cultural, and economic rights and freedoms of all citizens, which they enjoy on the basis of equality and equal opportunity.
As long as you do what the Palestinian leaders tell you to do, including send your childred off to be homicide bombers of innocent men, women, and children.

Article 27: Human rights and basic freedoms according to international laws, charters, and treaties that become part of domestic law are binding and must be respected.
See article 26.

Article 34: No Palestinian may be extradited for political crimes.
The “Protection of Terrorists” clause.

Article 40: There shall be neither crime nor punishment except as stipulated by law. There shall be no punishment except for deeds committed after a law comes into effect. In non-criminal matters, it may be stipulated otherwise in a law that is approved by a majority of all the members of the Legislative Council.
Unless you live in Israel and/or support Israel. See Article 26.

I will give them one thing. Their Constitution, even though it doesn’t specifically say it, gives women considerably more Rights then in any other Islamic country. The language makes multiple references to “every citizen.” Perhaps they do not mean women, but most of the 1st world countries would say the language is women inclusive. So do I.

Oh, BTW, I hope the old bird is suffering. Little Miss Attila send her regards, as does OTB, and Powerlineblog. More as I peruse the blogosphere.

Afternoon Update: CNN is reporting some new information:

Palestinian officials close to Arafat told CNN they have reached the conclusion that the era of Arafat as Palestinian leader is over.

But other Palestinian officials quickly denied those reports, telling CNN Arafat’s medical situation is not yet clear and no decisions have been made about his future as leader.

and:

Earlier sources told CNN’s Christiane Amanpour that Arafat, 75, is not in complete control of his mental faculties and cannot make important decisions or communicate coherently.