CAIRO, Oct 28 (AFP) - The Arab League warned Israel Thursday not to assume that the departure of ailing Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat from the political scene would usher in a more compliant successor.
"Israel's hope that it can depend on somebody else to accept its ideas is doomed to fail," the 22-member group's secretary general Amr Mussa told reporters, adding that Arafat was still the only legitimate partner.
Arafat is the man who can say "yes" or "no" on matters that affect the fate of the Palestinians, Mussa said. "He is the elected and legitimate Palestinian leader and his role is very important, especially at this moment."
Israel and the United States have deemed Arafat unfit to negotiate a solution to the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict and have accused him of abetting attacks against civilians.
Mussa disagreed and argued that "the real obstacle" was the "policies of the Israeli government."
The exact nature of Arafat's illness has not been disclosed, and there have been conflicting reports about his health.
Mussa insisted that stressed that the ailing Palestinian leader, who has been effectively confined to his Ramallah compound by Israeli forces for nearly three years, "must have the freedom to seek treatment" within the territories or abroad.
10/28/2004 14:17 GMT - AFP