Madam, - Having represented the Palestinian Authority in this beautiful country for the past two years, I have come to appreciate the dynamics of the press in Ireland and of the importance of the culture of Irish freedom of expression.
Through reading your paper every morning I have become acquainted with Kevin Myers's An Irishman's Diary. Occasionally, he has touched on the subject of the Middle East and on my country, Palestine, in particular. In the past I have avoided replying, on the advice of Irish friends. However, Mr Myers surpassed himself with his Diary of October 1st, which repeated the absurd accusation that President Arafat was a KGB creation. This accusation emanated from a former deputy head of Romanian Intelligence, Mr Ion Pacepa. As an intelligence officer, Mr Pacepa has proved his capacity to lie. He defected to the US in 1978, turning his back on his homeland for the lure of the dollar. Whenever the US needs to blacken the image of a figure from the former Soviet bloc, they wheel out Mr Pacepa.
Only the most naïve and gullible journalists believe his pitiful ramblings. President Arafat is a Palestinian; his father is from Gaza and his mother from Jerusalem. Even his most critical biographers accept this. With Palestinian society based on family ties and loyalties it would be impossible for a man to invent his family tree. By perpetuating such lies, Mr Myers is falling for Zionist propaganda aimed at undermining President Arafat.
Unlike the current Israeli Prime Minister, President Arafat has been an integral part of the peace process and has signed numerous peace accords. He did not initiate and does not control the intifada. He officially renounced terrorism in 1988 and there has been no evidence to show he has reneged on that promise.
Mr Myers speaks of 1,100 lives that have been lost in the present conflict. With nearly 2,500 Palestinians and 800 Israelis killed since September 2000, Mr Myers has seemingly plucked this figure from thin air- a little like the rest of his argument. - Yours, etc.,
ALI HALIMEH,
Delegate General of Palestine
in Ireland,
Adelaide Road,
Dublin 2.