So... How about the PLO?

[The Holy Saint, Grand High Poobah, Master of Monkeys, Ehlers]

So what's up with Yasser anyway?

NPR this morning said he's got something Viral
The official PLO position is that he has a "blood disorder"
rumors abound that it's lukemia, though officials say it's not
news.com.au claims he's in a coma
Officials claim that's a rumor, though he's been in and out of consciousness lately.

Can we just get a doctor to come out and say what's going on besides "critical condition?"

Oh wait, no. Probably not. The doctors are French. And Parisian to boot.

Anyway, time for baseless speculation: what'll happen if Arafat dies in the next couple days? Someone worse and more aggressive taking over and stepping up bombings in Israel? Disorder while the various factions of the PLO work it out with violence? COmplete collapse of organization to Palestinian interests? Or, dare we hope it, someone strong enough to hold the coalition but wise enough to engage in intelligent and peaceful negotiation for Palestinian-Israeli peace?

Post your predictions here.

[Spriggan]

If he dies it'll be the best thing to happen to the world since Hitler's death.

[The Holy Saint, Grand High Poobah, Master of Monkeys, Ehlers]

see, on the one hand, you may think that. But I wonder if we dont' see more violence or an even worse person take over if he dies unexpectedly.
/me wanders off to find his sister-in-law. She knows about stuff like this.

[House of Mustard]

I lean more toward Spriggan's point of view.  I don't think there has been a bigger hinderance to Palestinian/Israeli peace than Arafat.  I wouldn't say he's the worst since Hitler (except in the anti-semitic sense), but I would be much more prone to throw a party than to cry if he died.

[The Holy Saint, Grand High Poobah, Master of Monkeys, Ehlers]

well, I don't think there are many Jews who'd disagree with you. or americans, though certainly more of those.

[Spriggan]

Well I said Hitler more for effect, and I couldn't think of any dead/captured world leaders that weren't good for the world except for Saddam and Pol Pot.

[Skar]

I have an uncle (by marriage) who was born and raised in Nazareth as an orthodox something Christian.  His family was johnny on the spot to receive Israeli citizenship and did so early on.

A few years later the Israeli government evicted them from their house and told them too bad so sad, you're not jews so out you go.  His family still lives there but they still don't have their house and/or land back.  

He doesn't condone the Palestinian terrorist behavior but he sure hates the Israelis.  I'm waiting on the Palestinians to pull an MLK Jr. like Tom Clancy wrote in one of his books.  Then the Israelis will really be in trouble.

[Skar]

As for the prediction.  I predict an even bigger jerk than Arafat will take over with lots of infighting.

[The Holy Saint, Grand High Poobah, Master of Monkeys, Ehlers]

Yeah, Arafat's been a huge putz about the whole thing, but it's not like Israel's ever made it easy for the Palestinians to be peaceful about the affair.

[Mad Dr Jeffe]

Arafat mortus est.

[The Holy Saint, Grand High Poobah, Master of Monkeys, Ehlers]

Thank God that's over. now, let's see what happens.

[Gemm: Rock & Roll Star; Born to Rock]

He's dead.

[Spriggan]

I heard that they found banannas and poo near his death bed, obviously he made the wrong person mad.

[House of Mustard]

It took me far too long to figure out what you were talking about...

[The Holy Saint, Grand High Poobah, Master of Monkeys, Ehlers]

yeah. He really torqued me off with....

er... that is... I don't know what you're talking about. You can't prove that ninja monkeys were involved.