Arafat faces test
NZPA ■ “ ; • • Beirut < A battle is shaping up between Mr Yasser Arafat and Syrian-backed radicals that may ultimately determine who controls the Palestine Liberation Organisation. A test of strength between Mr Arafat’s mainline Fatah and the' Syrian-backed hardliners is expected to come at a meeting in Damascus of the 60-member P.L.O. Central Council.
The policy-making body meets next week, in a session postponed from the weekend. No reason has been given for the delay. Members of the eight-fac-tion guerrilla organisation are scattered throughout the Middle East after . being forced out of the Lebanese capital by Israel’s siege last (northern) summer. Mr Arafat based his operations in Tunisia while the P.L.O. fighters and radical
political leaders have been regrouping in Syria. “I think the Syrians are looking for a change of leadership. They want Arafat out,” said a Western diplomat. The basic disagreement between Mr Arafat’s supporters and President Hafez Assad’s Government is over the timing of negotiations for an over-all Middle East settlement.
Permanent link to this item
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19821120.2.38.3
Bibliographic details
Press, 20 November 1982, Page 8
Word Count
165Arafat faces test Press, 20 November 1982, Page 8
Using This Item
Stuff Ltd is the copyright owner for the Press. You can reproduce in-copyright material from this newspaper for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 3.0 New Zealand licence. This newspaper is not available for commercial use without the consent of Stuff Ltd. For advice on reproduction of out-of-copyright material from this newspaper, please refer to the Copyright guide.
Copyright in all Footrot Flats cartoons is owned by Diogenes Designs Ltd. The National Library has been granted permission to digitise these cartoons and make them available online as part of this digitised version of the Press. You can search, browse, and print Footrot Flats cartoons for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from Diogenes Designs Ltd for any other use.
Acknowledgements
This newspaper was digitised in partnership with Christchurch City Libraries.