Should Arafat be expelled?

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has said he has not ruled out the possibility of exiling Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, who is besieged in his Ramallah headquarters.

Israeli radio quoted Mr Sharon as saying that the cabinet had decided last week to isolate but not expel the Palestinian leader, but he was now not sure if this was the right thing to do.

And Mr Sharon stated that if Mr Arafat was allowed to leave the Palestinian territories, he would not be allowed to return.

But a senior Palestinian official, Saeb Erekat, told the BBC that there were no circumstances under which Mr Arafat would accept exile.

US President George W Bush has urged Israel to keep open, as he put it, a pathway to peace, while Israeli Foreign Minister, Shimon Peres, called for "easing the siege".

What do you think? Should Yasser Arafat be expelled? Can the current leadership on both sides of the Middle East conflict return to paving the way towards a lasting peace?

This debate is now closed. Read a selection of your comments below.

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Your comments:

The majority of Palestinians and Israelis are good people wanting to live in peace

David, England

Do not forget that after each attempt at reaching a peaceful solution Palestinian terrorists strike, each time starting up new violent offensives on each side. The majority of Palestinians and Israelis are good people wanting to live in peace. There is one common element in decades of violence: Arafat. Yes, he must go.
David, England

Arafat and Sharon should both be brought to a summit sponsored by the UN (not US) and not allowed to leave until they have come up with a workable solution to their region's woes. The recent summit has left some unfinished business.
Brian S, Scotland

Surely the question is: When will Sharon be tried for war crimes - not whether Arafat should be kicked out of his own country.
Cliffchuff, England

If anybody should be exiled, it is Sharon. He is the author of his own misfortune. This will be crystal-clear, in the near future, as he reaps the effects of what he is doing to the Palestinians today.
Peter, London UK

This question itself illustrates the bias and double standards of the world represented by the US. The question suggests that Arafat is the root cause of all the violence which is no more than finding a scapegoat from within the victims. Whether we eliminate Arafat or not is not the question but the question we should ask is whether we can expect peace from Ariel Sharon who is responsible for war crimes and who should be sitting in the Hague rather than leading both Israel and Palestine to destruction.
Amy Shegiheru, Japan

Arafat should not be exiled. Sharon's personal hatred for him is clouding his decision-making. This assault on the Palestinian people is a violation of their human rights. Amnesty International needs to step in, Europe needs to step in and stop Sharon from his madness. The Israeli's are nothing but troublemakers.
Jenna, USA

Yasser Arafat was elected to lead the Palestinian people. Yes he does have a murky past, but then again so does Sharon, who has killed a lot more people. Recent history has shown the only way to stop the suicide bombers is through a proper peace process.
Sam, London

Have you ever watched while someone is killed in such a terrible way? It makes you sick, with the image forcefully etched in your mind. The children of these countries see this every day. And who do the children see committing these acts? Their parents. The young ones do what Mommy and Daddy do. Indeed we are all still animals.
BA, USA/Turkey

Arafat was born in an independent state called Palestine - Sharon was not born in Palestine. Now who is the one who should leave and be expelled from the disputed territory?
S Bhatti, Germany

Yasser Arafat has got the right to live in the country that is his own homeland. Only when a distinction of terrorism is clearly clarified in the whole world with a simple definition applied to every single country will we be able to deal with terror effectively. It is this double standard that is causing upheavals. Why should it be that only Americans have the right to define terrorism as it suits their own agenda? You say Arafat is a terrorist and enemy, what about Sharon and his actions in Lebanon in the 1980s? What does it make him?
I. Muller, United Kingdom

So Sharon is going to kick someone out of a country he has no legitimate jurisdiction over? Can I suggest that both Sharon and Arafat are kicked out and forced to live together on an island until they can come to their senses?
Bob Knox, England

How can Arafat help when his security infrastructure has been systematically destroyed by the Israelis?

Sayed, Canada

Arafat should not be expelled. He is not responsible for suicide bombings. We are led to believe in the western media that Arafat should do more. How can Arafat help when his security infrastructure has been systematically destroyed by the Israelis? I am surprised when Americans are asking Arafat to arrest suicide bombers while he is under siege. Suicide bombings are individual acts of despair of people that see no future, vastly ignored by an unfair and distorted international public opinion. Europe and Arab countries should come up with solutions to resolve this situation. Until Sharon is in power, he will not make peace with Arafat.
Sayed, Canada

It is not up to Israel to expel Arafat. That right belongs to the Palestinians only. This talk of exile only goes to show the utter arrogance of Sharon and his government.
Roy Tyler Whyte, Canada

First of all there are so many fractions within Palestinian and so far most of them accepted Arafat as their leader and so it is important that he is available when the time comes for negotiation. If Arafat is killed or expelled, there will be a leadership vacuum, with possible in-fighting, and it will be almost impossible to successfully negotiate a lasting peace. I wonder whether that is the reason why Sharon is so eager to get rid of Arafat. Once peace is negotiated, with the help of US, both Sharon and Arafat should step down and let a moderate leader take over to maintain a lasting peace.
Robert A Khin, Burma / Malaysia

I think this is something to do between the government and its people, and it is not for Sharon to decide. The way Arafat is treated is horrible .The people (Palestinians) can choose their new leader not Sharon is the one who should decide. Sharon should exile himself!
Tanya, UK

Arafat has shown great restraint in dealing with the persecution of his people by Sharon

John D, UK

Arafat has shown great restraint in dealing with the persecution of his people by Sharon. It is Sharon that should be exiled, or even better tried for crimes against humanity. Desperate people do desperate things, try to understand what drives someone to blow themselves up to make themselves heard. It is our indifference that fuels this conflict. Wake up people!
John D, UK

It would be funny if it weren't so tragic. The pot calling the kettle black. Now who is a terrorist? I am so disgusted - I cheered when Milosovic was brought to trial, I applauded efforts to oust Saddam Hussain, make sanctions against Mugabe, try Pinochet, but why is Sharon allowed to do what he wants with no impunity? Why is the news media, including the BBC, not more informative about the roots of the situation there? I agree with Javier Solana, chuck 'em both out and find some leaders who understand that peace will never come through attempts at intimidation, bombs and fear.
Halima Brewer, Spain

Why is Israel treated differently to any other invading country? They have no right to be in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Let them give the Palestinians recognition as a nation state and get out of the occupied territories, and then, if the suicide attacks continue, let the other nations support them in their fight against terrorism. They are only caring out terrorism under a different guise right now. I am neither of Jewish or an Arabian nationality but I am sick of the stance Britain and the USA are taking on this issue. They should tell Israel to get out and then start talking.
Judith Delissen, Scotland

It frightens me that western leaders are so ignorant

Manuel Alves, Portugal

When the Serbs tried to expel Albanians from Kosovo it was ethnic cleansing. What are the Israelis trying to do? I thought they were smarter. It also frightens me that western leaders are so ignorant.
Manuel Alves, Portugal

As much as I deplore the suicide attacks on Israel and the continued presence in the West Bank areas by Israelis there does not appear to be any "endgame" solution. Holding Arafat up, exiling or killing him will only further fuel the violent attacks.
P Dobbs, UK

The worst thing that could happen is for Mr. Arafat to be exiled. If he accepts, he will loose all credibility among his people. If he resists, the Israelis will have made him a hero. There could be a compromise. Both Mr. Sharon and Mr. Arafat should leave. But Mr Sharon's place cannot be taken by Mr. Netanyahu. If he does, nothing will be accomplished. Moderates have to come back in both sides. The Saudi proposal would have brought about such change.
Santiago Ochoa, Venezuela

I heartily believe that God is bringing the story to its end. And we shall only witness and see. All has been predicted in The Holy Quran.
G F, USA

We should start considering an alternative leader and so should the Israelis

Mussa Abu Jamil, Ramallah, Palestine

As a Palestinian man who has suffered a lot I understand now that Chairman Arafat has mislead us - the common people. Barak's offer was not what we dreamed about for so long, but it could have brought a solution to the problem. Back then, I supported Mr Arafat's move, but now I feel it was a mistake. Today, I feel that president Arafat will never be able to reach an agreement with Israel. We should start considering an alternative leader and so should the Israelis.
Mussa Abu Jamil, Ramallah, Palestine

I think that all of the focus on Arafat is ridiculous. He is a terrorist and an obstacle to peace. Hope in the Middle East will only come when a Palestinian leader who truly understands the evil of terror emerges and helps to lead the region into a more enlightened era.
Gary, Japan

Yasser Arafat has as much right as Mr Sharon to live in his country.
Mulugeta Ketema, USA

Exiling Arafat is one thing but silencing somebody who is willing to blow himself up to make a point is a different issue!
Babucarr Kebbeh, USA/Gambia

He should be neither exiled nor killed, because either action would make him a martyr.
William Jones, USA

Before taking action against Arafat, look at all the massacres committed by Sharon. He should first be brought to book before any action is taken against Arafat.
Mohammad, USA