JERUSALEM, Nov 11 (AFP) - Not all Israeli Jews rejoiced at the passing of veteran Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat but here alone in the Middle East no tears were shed for the Nobel Peace Prize laureate.
"I was delighted to learn of the death of this man who tricked us into believing in peace while remaining a terrorist leader," said Shimon Ben Ezra as he poured coffees at the central bus station.
The 66-year-old confided that he held Arafat personally reponsible for the loss of his job in a west Jerusalem hotel after the relaunch of the Palestinian uprising in September 2000 decimated tourist arrivals.
"I hope that with his disappearance the Palestinians will have a new leadership team and we will be able to work with our Arab cousins like before the intifada."
Cab driver Yoram Abergel too made no secret of his joy. "Good riddance," he exclaimed. "I'm very happy at the passing of this dictator who killed so many Jews."
Nahum Nahum, a 17-year-old secondary school pupil waiting to carry out his military service, voiced concern that the power vaccum created by Arafat's death would lead to a new upsurge of violence.
"It's going to get worse. The Palestinians have lost their leader and now they're going blame us for his death," he confided.
But for a serving soldier who gave his name only as Alexander, Arafat's death was cause for hope.
"Arafat was too extreme, too obstinate. I hope things will go better with his successor," he said as he patrolled west Jerusalem's central market.
The only expression of sympathy of any sort came from a 20-year-old waitress who nonetheless described herself as a supporter of Israel's ultra-nationalist far right.
"I don't know why but I am sad," Ortal Maman confided. "Perhaps it's because we all got so used to Arafat, even though he was our enemy."
The happiness so discordant with the outpouring of grief among both Palestinians and Israeli Arabs was perhaps not suprising, given the stance of the political leadership.
The tiny Israeli Peace Bloc was alone among mainly Jewish parties in expressing sadness at Arafat's death.
"Certainly Arafat was our enemy for years but the government of Ariel Sharon has turned him into a monster," said its leader, former far-left deputy Uri Avnery.
At the other end of the political spectrum, the much bigger parties of the far right announced they were organising a picnic to "celebrate the death of the arch terrorist Arafat."
11/11/2004 16:21 GMT - AFP