Some Palestinians fed up with Arafat

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democracy," he says.

Heavy-handed regime Since his triumphant arrival in the Gaza Strip in 1994 from exile in Tunis, increasingly resisted Arafat has managed to buy the support of many elected otticials and local By Nomi Morris KNIGHT RIDDER NEWS SERVICE leaders with mysterious multimillionClOse-Up Today's topic: dollar slush funds that provide new JERUSALEM - In the hilly Arab cars and villas to those who tow his Threat to peace negotiations village of Sur Bahir, just south of Fatah line.

Jerusalem, self-appointed rebel Zuhair Hamdaan declares that townspeople Independent voices who speak out Given the current stalemate bewill resist if members of Yasser are arrested or otherwise intimidated tween Arafat and Israeli prime minisby one of 10 Palestinian security serter Ehud Barak, there is growing danArafat's security forces question villagers without his okay. vices that consume 36 percent of the ger that simmering grass-roots dissent shown Palestinian agents have governing Palestinian Authority's buderode could Palestinians among get.

Arafat's ability to negotiate a peace acsuch "disrespect" to Sur Bahir residents in past encounters, says Hamcord with Israel.

Just last week the PA closed a HeSur Bahir, home to 15,000 people, is daan, 47, that "if they come to interrobron television station for 24 hours on not yet inside the Palestinian self-rule gate or arrest anyone they should be grounds it was too sympathetic to aware they will be arrested by us." areas, But like much of the West Bank teachers.

And Khaled striking Hamdaan's challenge to Arafat's and Gaza, the village is disillusioned Amayreh, editor of the new weekly Heby the Arafat government's record. rule is one of many signs these days bron Times, was summoned by securithat Palestinians are fed up with a 6Hamdaan says he represents many ty agents and told his publication East Jerusalem Arabs who fear being year-old government that has brought would be "burned" if he failed to suphanded over like "sheep" from Israeli them rampant corruption and policeport PA government policies. to Palestinian rule. *It would be like state tactics, but neither prosperity nor See CLOSE-UP, A4 killing our kids, who are used to independence.

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"Some Palestinians fed up with Arafat," Lexington Herald-Leader, 29 February 2000. Covering Palestine archive, CP-2000-035. https://coveringpalestine.org/archive/cp-2000-035