Jerrold Kessel: Latest killing escalates Mideast conflict

Kessel

CNN Correspondent Jerrold Kessel has covered developments in the Middle East closely and provides the following perspective on today's killing of Mustafa Zibri, the leader of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.

Q: Is Zibri's killing seen as an escalation of the Mideast conflict?

A: Whichever way you look at it, it is an escalation. In this finger-pointing which we have been having, each side is blaming the other. Even in that context, you'd have to say this is an escalation.

The Palestinians are saying this is a major escalation, a very blurring of the distinction between Palestinian military and political leaders -- who the Israelis are calling terrorists. The Israelis say the escalation happened before, when these people crossed over the line from political leaders to become military leaders.

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Even if it is not an escalation, it is certainly perceived that way here. We have had somewhere around three dozen targeted attacks under the Israeli "track and kill" policy. He is clearly the highest-profile leader, so you'd have to say on that level there is an escalation. The Palestinians see it as the equivalent of Israel having gone after the leader of Hamas or some other top political leader.

Q: Does this alter the U.S. role? The Palestinians seem to have reacted more harshly toward the United States. The U.S. policy is absolutely critical to what's happening. None of the Palestinians have blamed the United States directly, but there has been a change. In the past they have criticized the United States for providing Israel weaponry. What we had seen over the last few days goes way beyond simply accusing America and the American president of a pro-Isreal bias. The Palestinians are now saying that the U.S. policy is part of the reason for the escalation.

U.S. policy has evolved from a hands-off policy. Now it is buttressed by what the Palestinians see as a definitive pro-Israel tilt in that President Bush last Friday blamed Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat for the ongoing violence. That, in the Palestinian perception, is giving Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon much more of a right to carry on with his policy.

One of Arafat's spokesmen said today that Israel is "exploiting American silence and the irresponsible statements by American officials," a reference to President Bush. Israelis take the other view, that the only way to stop the violence is to push Arafat and Palestinians into a corner. In doing that, you are saying, if you push Arafat into controlling the killing, you control the killing.

Q: It was a bloody weekend, with three Israeli troops killed in a Palestinian combat operation in Gaza and now the Zibri killing. There had been hopes last week that Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres would meet with Arafat in Berlin. Is that likely to happen?

A: There is enormous pressure on Arafat not to allow that meeting to happen at all as a result of the Zibri killing.

In the past, these targeted attacks have been approved by the Israeli security Cabinet, or what is known as Sharon's "kitchen cabinet," which includes Peres. Some Israeli sources are saying that this attack on Zibri was approved by Sharon and Defense Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer, no one else. If true, that leaves Peres out in the cold on the escalation.

The idea of a Peres-Arafat meeting to kick-start the Mitchell peace process had momentum for about 24 hours last week. It doesn't seem to have any now.

Q: The PFLP in the past has opposed Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat's attempt to negotiate peace agreements. Why was Zibri allowed back into the West Bank?

The PFLP and the PA were in the past very much rivals. The PFLP has never signed on to the peace process. They have always distanced themselves from peacemaking.

Zibri was allowed back in two years ago because the peace process was in much better shape, and Arafat felt confident enough to admit an opposition leader. Part of it has to do with the blurring of lines because of the Intifada. On many issues, there is a degree of unity now among the disparate Palestinian organizations. The killings have drawn an across-the-board reaction, and many of these organizations are now willing to cooperate with each other.

Q: Was Zibri a popular figure?

A: The PFLP, although relatively small, was the second-largest faction in the Palestine Liberation Organization. Zibri was one of the top five PLO leaders. He was prominent enough that when Arafat tried to get him to go Camp David, and he said no, it was significant.