Yasser Arafat In His Own Words

Palestinian Quote Sheet #38

On alternatives to negotiations:

"If Israel rejects our demands there will be a reaction and we have a 30,000 man armed force."

--- Yasser Arafat (Quoted by Israel Radio reporter Yoni Ben Menachem, 7 June 1996)

"The Israelis are mistaken if they think we do not have an alternative to negotiations. By Allah I swear they are wrong. The Palestinian people are prepared to sacrifice the last boy and the last girl so that the Palestinian flag will be flown over the walls, the churches and the mosques of Jerusalem."

--- Yasser Arafat, in a speech given on 6 August 1995 at a party to celebrate the birth of his daughter (Haaretz, 6 September 1995; The Jerusalem Post, 7 September 1995)

"Without full Palestinian rights with a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital there won't be peace.... We can't rule out a return to the gun. If Israel can't meet its obligations the peace will be destroyed."

--- Yasser Arafat's spokesman Nabil Aburodeina (Interview with Independent Media Review and Analysis, 17 April 1996)

On ultimate goals:

"The struggle will continue until all of Palestine is liberated."

--- Yasser Arafat (Voice of Palestine Radio, 11 November 1995)

To Quote Sheet #37 | To a text file of all quote sheets | To Quote Sheet #39

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