WashTimes

November 1, 2001

Inside Politics

Greg Pierce

Snookered

The Rev. Al Sharpton, the racial provocateur from New York City who plans to run for president as a Democrat, apparently snookered the Israelis into letting him meet with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.

Mr. Sharpton visited Israel earlier this week, saying he wanted to show solidarity with Jewish victims of terrorism.

But during a meeting with Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres, Mr. Sharpton reportedly said he had been asked by U.S. Secretary of State Colin L. Powell to meet with Mr. Arafat to encourage the Palestinian to take steps against terrorism.

That was enough to persuade Mr. Peres to allow the meeting, the New York Post reports, citing an anonymous Israeli official. Mr. Sharpton appeared more friendly to Mr. Arafat than Mr. Peres, an Israeli complained. Mr. Sharpton walked arm in arm with Mr. Arafat as they met with reporters.

However, a State Department spokeswoman said Mr. Powell had made no such request, although the secretary of state had accepted a phone call from Mr. Sharpton before the black activist's trip.

-- Anonymous, November 01, 2001

Answers

NYPost

SHARPTON: ARAFAT VISIT CERTIFIED AS KOSHER

By ANDY SOLTIS

November 1, 2001 -- The Rev. Al Sharpton, calling his controversial Mideast trip "an absolute success," yesterday insisted Israel officials encouraged him to visit Yasser Arafat.

He also denied he claimed he was sent to Arafat by Secretary of State Colin Powell.

Sharpton's three-day visit ended amid questions about how he ended up arm and arm with Arafat at the PLO chairman's Gaza Strip headquarters on Monday.

Later yesterday, the outspoken minister said he wanted to go next to Afghanistan to visit eight Christians held by the government.

New York Rabbi Shmuley Boteach, who helped organize the Israel trip, said he accompanied Sharpton to Gaza - but refused to attend the Arafat meeting.

Israeli officials said it was understood that Sharpton, as a guest of their Foreign Ministry, would make his visit exclusively "in solidarity with Israel" - and would not meet Arab leaders.

Sharpton, though, said his visit to Arafat was not confirmed until Sunday night, after he had discussed his trip with Yoram Ben Zeev, the Israel Foreign Ministry official responsible for North America.

In that conversation, Sharpton said, Ben Zeev urged him to talk to all sides.

Boteach said Sharpton "received the blessing" of both Ben Zeev and Foreign Minister Shimon Peres for the Arafat visit.

According to the ministry's minutes of the meeting, Sharpton told Peres Monday that Powell had "asked him to meet with Yasser Arafat."

-- Anonymous, November 01, 2001

He lies. He puts words in the mouths of others.

Perfect for a deomcratic presidency, don't you think?

How does he treat interns?

-- Anonymous, November 01, 2001