Arafat intelligence 'clueless'

2004-11-01 11:22

Jerusalem - Israel's "clueless" head of military intelligence faced media ridicule on Monday after telling cabinet ministers that Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat could either make a full recovery or die.

"According to our intelligence assessment, Arafat's chances of recovery range between full recovery and death. All options are open, General Aaaron Zeevi said in a Sunday briefing on the ailing Palestinian leader's health.

His comments were greeted on Monday with derisory headlines, with the top-selling Yediot Aharonot newspaper declaring: "They haven't a clue".

"With all due respect, we don't need an IDF (army) intelligence branch director for that," one unnamed minister said after the meeting.

Israel has long prided itself on possessing one of the most sophisticated intelligence networks in the world but an editorial in Yediot said the implications of Zeevi's comments were worrying.

"You need to read that sentence a number of times before you believe that this is really happening to us. When you read it the first time it's funny, but then it begins to gnaw at you and is ultimately disturbing."

Arafat was dramatically flown out of his West Bank leadership compound to France on Friday for treatment on a blood disorder, with doctors on Sunday saying his condition was stable and curable although they are carrying out more tests.

- AFP