Editing Yasser Arafat (section)

===Attempts to marginalize===
Persistent attempts by the Israeli government to identify another Palestinian leader to represent the Palestinian people failed. Arafat was enjoying the support of groups that, given his own history, would normally have been quite wary of dealing with or supporting him. [[Marwan Barghouti]] (a leader of al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades) emerged as a possible replacement during the Second Intifada, but Israel had him arrested for allegedly being involved in the killing of twenty-six civilians, and he was sentenced to five life terms.<ref>{{cite news |title=Profile: Marwan Barghouti |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/1473585.stm |publisher=[[BBC News]] |date=20 May 2004 |access-date=17 June 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040611150405/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/1473585.stm |archive-date=11 June 2004 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Arafat was finally allowed to leave his compound on 2 May 2002 after intense negotiations led to a settlement: six PFLP militants, including the organization's secretary-general [[Ahmad Sa'adat]], wanted by Israel, who had been holed up with Arafat in his compound, would be transferred to international custody in [[Jericho]]. After the wanted men were handed over the siege was lifted.<ref>{{Cite web|date= 1 May 2002
|title=Arafat siege to end as handover agreed|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/1392784/Arafat-siege-to-end-as-handover-agreed.html|access-date=17 June 2024|website=The Daily Telegraph|location=London}}</ref> With that, and a promise that he would issue a call to the Palestinians to halt attacks on Israelis, Arafat was released. He issued such a call on 8 May. On 19 September 2002, the IDF largely demolished the compound with [[armored bulldozer]]s in order to isolate Arafat.<ref>Taylor & Francis Group (2004) Europa World Year Book 2: Kazakhstan-Zimbabwe Published by Taylor & Francis, {{ISBN|1-85743-255-X}} p 3314</ref><ref>{{cite news|first=Serge|last=Schmemann|title=Arafat Remains Defiant Amid Rubble of His Compound|url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A07E6DE1739F931A1575AC0A9649C8B63&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=2|work=The New York Times|date=22 September 2002|access-date=17 June 2024}}</ref><ref name=Larsen>{{cite web|url=http://news.independent.co.uk/world/middle_east/story.jsp?story=337411 |title=Israeli siege of Arafat 'is killing peace hope' |access-date=16 October 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040601141232/http://news.independent.co.uk/world/middle_east/story.jsp?story=337411 |archive-date=1 June 2004 |first=Justin |last=Huggler |work=The Independent |date=28 September 2002}}</ref> In March 2003, Arafat ceded his post as Prime Minister to [[Mahmoud Abbas]] amid pressures by the US.<ref name=alhram_647>{{Cite web|date=11 August 2003|work=Al-Ahram Weekly 
| title=Arafat vs Abbas | first= Khalid |last=Amayreh
|url=http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2003/647/re2.htm|access-date=12 February 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030811171247/http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2003/647/re2.htm |archive-date=11 August 2003 }}</ref>

The Israeli security Cabinet on 11 September 2003 decided that "Israel will act to remove this obstacle [Arafat] in the manner, at the time, and in the ways that will be decided on separately".<ref>{{Cite news|date=11 September 2003|title=Excerpts: Israeli security cabinet statement|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3102154.stm|access-date=12 February 2023| publisher= BBC}}</ref> Israeli Cabinet members and officials hinted on Arafat's death,<ref>{{Cite web|title=New Palestinian Cabinet OK'd
| first= Ellen |last=Crean
| agency= Associated Press
| date=29 September 2003
|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/new-palestinian-cabinet-okd/|access-date=12 February 2023|website=cbsnews.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last1=Shlaim|first1=Avi|last2=Tribune|first2=International Herald|date=24 September 2003|title=Opinion &#124; Israel and Palestine : The real obstacle to peace is Sharon, not Arafat|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/09/24/opinion/IHT-israel-and-palestine-the-real-obstacle-to-peace-is-sharon-not.html|access-date=12 February 2023|issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web
| first= Ellen |last=Crean
| publisher= CBS
| agency= Associated Press
| date= 15 September 2003
|title=Killing Arafat An Option|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/killing-arafat-an-option/|access-date=12 February 2023|website=cbsnews.com}}</ref> the Israeli military had begun making preparations for Arafat's possible expulsion in the near future,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.sky.com/story/211601/mid-east-on-edge-of-abyss-arafat-aide |title=Mid-East 'On Edge of Abyss': Arafat Aide |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208123439/http://news.sky.com/story/211601/mid-east-on-edge-of-abyss-arafat-aide |archive-date=8 December 2015 |website=Sky News |date=11 September 2003}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web
|title=Israel's SAS prepares to snatch Arafat 
| date = 14 September 2003
|website=[[The Sunday Times]] |url=http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/news/world_news/article41835.ece|access-date=12 February 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208112505/http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/news/world_news/article41835.ece |archive-date=8 December 2015 }}</ref> and many feared for his life. Israeli peace activists of [[Gush Shalom]], Knesset members and others went into the [[Muqata|Presidential Compound]] prepared to serve as a human shield.<ref>{{Cite web
| first= Ellen |last=Crean
| agency=Associated Press
| date= 14 September 2003
|title=Arafat To Israel: Let's Talk Peace|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/arafat-to-israel-lets-talk-peace/|access-date=12 February 2023|website=cbsnews.com}}</ref> The compound remained under siege until Arafat's transfer to a French hospital, shortly before his death.

In 2004, President Bush dismissed Arafat as a negotiating partner, saying he had "failed as a leader", and accused him of undercutting Abbas when he was prime minister (Abbas resigned the same year he was given the position).<ref>{{cite news|first=G. Robert|last=Hillman|title=Bush dismisses Arafat as Partner, Pushes for New Leader|url=http://media.www.westerncourier.com/media/storage/paper650/news/2003/09/19/Nation/Bush-Dismisses.Arafat.Pushes.For.New.Leader-470765.shtml|work=The Dallas Morning News|date=19 September 2003|access-date=21 July 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071013215544/http://media.www.westerncourier.com/media/storage/paper650/news/2003/09/19/Nation/Bush-Dismisses.Arafat.Pushes.For.New.Leader-470765.shtml|archive-date=13 October 2007}}</ref> Arafat had a mixed relationship with the leaders of other Arab nations. His support from Arab leaders tended to increase whenever he was pressured by Israel; for example, when Israel declared in 2003 it had made the decision, in principle, to remove him from the Israeli-controlled West Bank.<ref name="Arafat Timeline"/> In an interview with the Arabic news network [[Al Jazeera Media Network|Al Jazeera]], Arafat responded to Ariel Sharon's suggestion that he be exiled from the [[Palestinian territories]] permanently, by stating, "Is it his [Sharon's] homeland or ours? We were planted here before the Prophet Abraham came, but it looks like they [Israelis] don't understand history or geography."<ref name="Arafat Timeline"/>