Stardate 20011228.1522

(On Screen): Arafat begs for the return of US envoy Zinni:

The Palestinian Authority urged the return of U.S. peace envoy Anthony Zinni and said it was willing to show what it had done to address Washington's concerns -- topped by an end to attacks on Israelis.

We already know what Arafat has done, and more importantly what he has not done: he hasn't stopped the attacks. Which means one of two things: either he isn't capable of doing so, or he is but has refused to expend the effort to make it happen. And either of those proves that he isn't worth talking to anymore. Either he has nothing to negotiate with, or he won't negotiate in good faith.

He offers an end to attacks on Israel if Zinni returns, but he's got it ass-backward: he needs to end the attacks first and then Zinni will return. That's because we think his offer is empty; we no longer believe that he's capable of preventing the attacks. So if Zinni shows up and the attacks continue, we'll have been rooked. We've been cheated by him countless times before; it's not going to happen again.

"The leadership is ready to send a security and a political team to Washington to explain the positions and measures taken by the Palestinian side," said a cabinet statement after the meeting in the West Bank city of Ramallah.

We're not interested in "positions" and "measures", we're looking for an end to attacks. It's that simple. It is time for Arafat and the Palestinian Authority to show some cojones (or however you say that in Arabic) and actually do something for a change. Stop talking, stop pleading, stop making speeches, stop posturing, and act.

Arafat is "very angry" about the ban on his movement to Bethlehem. Well, good. Maybe he's beginning to get the message.