Abbas, Hamas seek Arafat archive

Documents currently in Tunisia reportedly include information on planned terror attacks against Israel, terror groups’ funding sources

 

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has demanded that the archive of late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat be handed over to his care, the Yedioth Ahronoth daily reported Thursday.

Yasser and Suha Arafat (archives) Photo: AP

Yasser and Suha Arafat - archives Photo by AP

The documents, which are currently in Tunisia, reportedly contains fascinating information on planned terror attacks against Israeli targets, the funding sources of terror organizations and negotiations with Israeli officials from the political and security establishments

The London-based Al-Sharq Al-Awsat newspaper reported this week that the archive has been a point of contention ever since Arafat’s death in 2004 and the Hamas-Fatah split. “Both Hamas and Fatah have wanted the archive…however, an agreement between the PLO and former Tunisian president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali did not allow for the archives to be handed over,” the report stated.

Hamas has been in control of the Gaza Strip since June 2007 after seizing power from Fatah gunmen in a series of bloody clashes.

It was further reported that Arafat’s widow, Suha, has also been trying to obtain the documents.

Abbas, Yedioth Ahronoth said, has filed an official request with the Tunisian government to have the documents transferred over to him. Sources told Al-Sharq Al-Awsat that the Palestinians will seek at least an electronic version of the archive.

“These documents are part of out national and operational history,” a Palestinian news outlet said. “If there are secrets, it is time they are revealed, even if it causes embarrassment to leaders and heads of intelligence agencies in the Arab community.”

Arafat refused to transfer the documents from Tunis for fear that Israel would get its hands on them.

 

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By Smadar Peri