REPORTER: Sherine Salama
Palestinians have a saying "The way to humiliate a nation is by humiliating its leader." It's a saying the Israelis must have heard. They've kept President Yasser Arafat captive for the past 18 months, and recently threatened to assassinate or expel him. I've come to Ramallah to find out how Arafat's coping with his confinement and how Palestinians feel about threats to the President they call Abu Ammar.
TAXI DRIVER (TRANSLATION): The thing about expelling Abu Ammar... Even if they expel Abu Ammar, or whatever happens to him, he remains the leader of the Palestinian state. No one else will come along to lead the Palestinians. No one else is capable of that except Abu Ammar. The man has sacrificed everything... for Palestine and to return to Palestine. We've reached the compound. This is it.
Arafat's compound isn't far from the centre of town. He's been stuck here ever since the Israeli army reoccupied much of the West Bank following a suicide bombing in April last year.
REPORTER (TRANSLATION): I'm a journalist, can I go in?
GUARD (TRANSLATION): Yes, you can. Where are you from? Sweden?
REPORTER (TRANSLATION): Australia.
GUARD (TRANSLATION): I have a journalist here from Sweden.
REPORTER (TRANSLATION): What?
VOICE (TRANSLATION): Send them in. Fine.
GUARD (TRANSLATION): It's Saeb Erekat. God is generous.
Considering that their President's life has been threatened, the men who guard his compound seem pretty relaxed about security.
GUARD (TRANSLATION): What's this? A toy. A toy? What is this?
REPORTER (TRANSLATION): It's for the camera.
GUARD (TRANSLATION): It's to clean the camera. Okay.
WOMEN (TRANSLATION): We want to see the president.
GUARD (TRANSLATION): Not today.
WOMEN (TRANSLATION): We'll look from a distance.
GUARD (TRANSLATION): Not today. He has visitors.
WOMEN (TRANSLATION): Are they better than us? We've come from Beit Enan.
GUARD (TRANSLATION): You can't. Where have you come from?
WOMEN (TRANSLATION): From Beit Enan. The taxi cost us 40 shekels.
GUARD (TRANSLATION): No chance today.
WOMEN (TRANSLATION): Please, we've come...
GUARD (TRANSLATION): There's no chance.
WOMEN (TRANSLATION): My son, we've only come to greet the president. I swear to God I took cortisone injections to be ale to come here. I've only seen him on TV. We sacrificed our children...
GUARD (TRANSLATION): Mind the car, mind it.
In some ways Arafat's incarceration is an accident. He usually lives in Gaza but happened to visiting his Ramallah headquarters when the tanks rolled into cities across the West Bank. Now it's the site of what might become Arafat's last stand. The last time I was here was 1996 when I was training Palestinian journalists for the United Nations. Now some of my former students are based here as reporters.
AHMED ZAKI (TRANSLATION): How are you? Welcome. What's your news?
REPORTER (TRANSLATION): Good. Ahmed Zaki...
Ahmed Zaki works for Oman Television and Majid Said is a reporter for Abu Dhabi TV.
MAJID SAID (TRANSLATION): Thank God for your safety.
REPORTER (TRANSLATION): Thank you. What's going to happen to Abu Ammar now?
AHMED ZAKI (TRANSLATION): I don't think they'll kill him because the Americans wouldn't approve of that. But they might resort to expelling him or even imposing a tighter siege. They could stop people entering the compound, cut telephone lines, prevent anyone visiting him.
Over the past 18 months, Arafat's compound has come under siege three times. Most recently every building was destroyed except for the one housing the President. Although much has since been rebuilt, the compound is still piled high with rubble, along with the twisted wrecks of cars smashed by Israeli tanks.
I've arrived at a critical time for the Palestinian Government. Ahmed Qurei, better known as Abu Alaa, is about to become the new Prime Minister. He's been appointed by Arafat to replace Abu Mazen, who resigned a few weeks ago over what was reported to be a power struggle with the President. Abu Alaa has arrived to discuss plans for the new cabinet, but has nothing to say to the assembled media.
All the major newsagencies and Middle Eastern radio and television stations have a presence here. Every morning at 10, they receive a briefing on the day's events. Most are Palestinian, while a few, like me, have come from overseas in the hope of getting an interview with Arafat.
ALI SAWAFTA: Just will have to see if we have anything for you. We will be in touch. If we have anything for you, we'll call you. We'll be in touch with you by phone. If there is anything, we will be inside.
POLISH JOURNALIST: But we have a flight tomorrow to Poland.
ALI SAWAFTA: I'm sorry to tell you that. Sometimes people come from Australia and until now we can't arrange it. We'll wait here. Just you are waiting you waste your time you can do something else until we find time for you.
I've been assured that with well-connected local journalists as friends, I stand a good chance of getting some time with the President.
MOHAMMED SAADI (TRANSLATION): Too bad you're late.
REPORTER (TRANSLATION): I'm sorry. Why?
MOHAMMED SAADI (TRANSLATION): I told you to come Abu Rudeineh was here. We worked together about 20 minutes.
Mohammed Saadi is a Reuters journalist and an old friend. He's agreed to introduce me to Arafat's senior adviser Nabil Abu Radinah.
MOHAMMED SAADI (TRANSLATION): This is Sherine Salam.
NABIL ADU RADINAH (TRANSLATION): Good She can come to these events and film as much as possible. Wait till he's under less pressure. He'll address a celebration in Behtlehem the Internaitonal Socialists were here, then the Executive Committee meeting. We need some time to convince him of this idea. Except for press conferences he rarely gives interviews. But we'll try, since Sherine is here for a week. Tell her to eat baba ghanouj in Ramallah and sweet patries in Nablus. She hasn't had them for ages.
REPORTER (TRANSLATION): Two years.
NABIL ADU RADINAH (TRANSLATION): There, two years because she's losing weight in Australia. OK, we'll see you.
By my third day, the soldiers know who I am, and I'm ushered through the gate. Today a large crowd of locals has arrived at the compound to show solidarity with Arafat.
CROWD (TRANSLATION): We weren't born to live in humiliation. We were born to carry machine guns. We regard Abu Ammar as our father...
Ever since the Israeli government threatened to assassinate or expel Arafat, crowds like this have flocked to the compound.
CROWD (TRANSLATION): With our souls, with our blood, we defend you, Abu Ammar!
Over the years, Arafat has been heavily criticised by many Palestinians, for ruling like a dictator, and for promising far more than he's ever been able to deliver.
VOICE (TRANSLATION): We are heading towards Palestine. Towards an independent Palestinian state. Towards renewed hope.
But more than any other Palestinian leader, Arafat embodies his people's struggle. And when he's threatened, Palestinians take it personally.
CROWD (TRANSLATION): Towards Palestine! Towards Jerusalem!
It's often said that Arafat is at his best in times of crisis. In 1982 just after Israel invaded Lebanon, Arafat still appeared triumphant as he and his soldiers were escorted out of Beirut. Last year, with his compound under siege for 35 days and the water and electricity cut off, he once again showed the qualities that inspire devotion in those around him.
ALI SAWAFTA (TRANSLATION): President Arafat is 74 years old. May he live long. Last year he was 73. But you get the feeling he's only 20 years old. He carries his Kalashnikov which he's kept for years, leaves his shirt undone and shakes hands with the guys.
Ali Sawafta is a press secretary at the compound.
ALI SAWAFTA (TRANSLATION): He went downstairs and met the frontline defence guards. He told them "Don't be scared. We taught them a lesson during the siege of Beirut. It was the same scenario in Jenin.
Arafat's plight outraged much of the international community. The US Secretary of State, Colin Powell, made a personal visit to the beleaguered President.
ALI SAWAFTA (TRANSLATION): When Powell arrived it was strange that a foreign minister of a major power came when the place was under siege. This itself was a message. The foreign minister of a major power comes to visit President Arafat and an Israeli tank escorts him up to the stairs.
These days the Palestinian President receives few high profile visitors and none from Washington. Recently George Bush urged Palestinians to take Iraq's example and change their leader. But Arafat is not without friends.
REPORTER: What do you think of the threats against Yasser Arafat?
Bob Hawke was in the region to attend birthday celebrations for former Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres. He wasn't comfortable explaining his reasons for dropping in on Arafat.
PRESIDENT YASSER ARAFAT: We have to thank His Excellency for his visit and also we have to thank him from our hearts for what he is doing to protect the peace and to continue the road map.
PRIME MINISTER BOB HAWKE: Ladies and gentlemen, by definition, I'm not going to talk about the details of our discussion. That's something between President Arafat and myself but I think we can say, Mr President, that we have discussed some thoughts that I have about how we may be able to advance the process of peace and help to create not just a state of Palestine but a vibrant economy in which the people of Palestine are going to have jobs, economic growth, employment and education. These are the sorts of things that we all want for the people of Palestine. I hope together Mr President, that we may be able to advance that cause. Thank you again.
Unfortunately Arafat has more pressing concerns than economic growth and employment. Today the central committee of Arafat's party, Fatah, is meeting to decide the make-up of the new cabinet. The media isn't welcome at the compound today, but that hasn't stopped a local band from putting on a show. Mohammed Saadi, my friend from Reuters, is helping me work on questions for my interview with Arafat. Yesterday I handed in some sample questions but I've been told to change them.
MOHAMMED SAADI: Recently they changed their plans vis-a-vis interviewing Arafat and they are now asking for the questions before you do the interview. This happened obviously after a number of journalists - Arafat got angry with them because they did ask him what he considered as embarrassing questions for him and that they're taking basically the Israeli view and the American view.
Yet, they're scrutinising questions which are really harmless and neutral and it's like they're doing themselves a disservice?
MOHAMMED SAADI: Well, this is Arafat, you know, he can't change. One of his senior, from the close circle of Arafat once told me, I really bought him two new suits just to change. He refused to put them on. He does not love change.
Tonight the PLO Executive Committee is meeting to discuss the formation of Prime Minister Abu Alaa's new cabinet. As always, photographers and cameramen clamour for the brief photo opportunity inside. According to Palestinian journalists, Arafat wants to crack down on militant groups immediately and he's insisting on an emergency cabinet to do this. But Prime Minister-elect Abu Alaa is more cautious. He doesn't want to tackle the militants without a mandate from the legislative council. The next day I receive a phone call from the compound telling me Arafat will finally have some time for my interview in the evening. It's a bit of a shock to see an ambulance disappear into the compound. For the first time since my arrival, the soldiers seem tense.
SOLDIER (TRANSLATION): What did he tell you?
REPORTER (TRANSLATION): To call about this time and to come to the compound.
SOLDIER (TRANSLATION): Tell her to stop filming.
It doesn't take long for the word to spread that the President isn't well. Soon we're joined by other journalists anxious for news from inside the compound. The next day I'm told that the normal schedule at the compound has been suspended. There will be no opportunity to film the President, let alone interview him. Rumours are flying that Arafat is very sick. Two days later, at least some of the mystery is solved. Arafat has indeed been ill, though a delegation of medical specialists from Jordan has now pronounced him well.
PRESIDENT YASSER ARAFAT: Thank God, the illness has gone, but that doesn't mean you can take me for granted. By the way, when my plane crashed my brother Dr Youssef al-Qusus was the one who treated me, when it crashed in Libya. Remember? He was the one who treated me. He did so under the supervision of the late King Hussein. I won't forget that. That cannot be forgotten. God bless you. If I so much as cough, I have to go to him!
DR.AL-KURDI (TRANSLATION): The other thing that surprised the whole team was the good health and high morale, considering the harsh environmental conditions in which the president and his comrades are living. No doubt he's a great man. We wish him well and all success. Thank you.
PRESIDENT YASSER ARAFAT (TRANSLATION): Together until we get to Jerusalem.
The assurances of Arafat's doctors aren't enough to scotch rumours already circulating that the President has been poisoned. For almost a week, Arafat is too unwell to appear in public again. After decades of struggle, in frail health, and with the threat of assassination hanging over him, the world can only wonder how much life there is left in the Palestinian leader.
Palestinians have a saying "The way to humiliate a nation is by humiliating its leader." It's a saying the Israelis must have heard. They've kept President Yasser Arafat captive for the past 18 months, and recently threatened to assassinate or expel him. I've come to Ramallah to find out how Arafat's coping with his confinement and how Palestinians feel about threats to the President they call Abu Ammar.
TAXI DRIVER (TRANSLATION): The thing about expelling Abu Ammar... Even if they expel Abu Ammar, or whatever happens to him, he remains the leader of the Palestinian state. No one else will come along to lead the Palestinians. No one else is capable of that except Abu Ammar. The man has sacrificed everything... for Palestine and to return to Palestine. We've reached the compound. This is it.
Arafat's compound isn't far from the centre of town. He's been stuck here ever since the Israeli army reoccupied much of the West Bank following a suicide bombing in April last year.
REPORTER (TRANSLATION): I'm a journalist, can I go in?
GUARD (TRANSLATION): Yes, you can. Where are you from? Sweden?
REPORTER (TRANSLATION): Australia.
GUARD (TRANSLATION): I have a journalist here from Sweden.
REPORTER (TRANSLATION): What?
VOICE (TRANSLATION): Send them in. Fine.
GUARD (TRANSLATION): It's Saeb Erekat. God is generous.
Considering that their President's life has been threatened, the men who guard his compound seem pretty relaxed about security.
GUARD (TRANSLATION): What's this? A toy. A toy? What is this?
REPORTER (TRANSLATION): It's for the camera.
GUARD (TRANSLATION): It's to clean the camera. Okay.
WOMEN (TRANSLATION): We want to see the president.
GUARD (TRANSLATION): Not today.
WOMEN (TRANSLATION): We'll look from a distance.
GUARD (TRANSLATION): Not today. He has visitors.
WOMEN (TRANSLATION): Are they better than us? We've come from Beit Enan.
GUARD (TRANSLATION): You can't. Where have you come from?
WOMEN (TRANSLATION): From Beit Enan. The taxi cost us 40 shekels.
GUARD (TRANSLATION): No chance today.
WOMEN (TRANSLATION): Please, we've come...
GUARD (TRANSLATION): There's no chance.
WOMEN (TRANSLATION): My son, we've only come to greet the president. I swear to God I took cortisone injections to be ale to come here. I've only seen him on TV. We sacrificed our children...
GUARD (TRANSLATION): Mind the car, mind it.
In some ways Arafat's incarceration is an accident. He usually lives in Gaza but happened to visiting his Ramallah headquarters when the tanks rolled into cities across the West Bank. Now it's the site of what might become Arafat's last stand. The last time I was here was 1996 when I was training Palestinian journalists for the United Nations. Now some of my former students are based here as reporters.
AHMED ZAKI (TRANSLATION): How are you? Welcome. What's your news?
REPORTER (TRANSLATION): Good. Ahmed Zaki...
Ahmed Zaki works for Oman Television and Majid Said is a reporter for Abu Dhabi TV.
MAJID SAID (TRANSLATION): Thank God for your safety.
REPORTER (TRANSLATION): Thank you. What's going to happen to Abu Ammar now?
AHMED ZAKI (TRANSLATION): I don't think they'll kill him because the Americans wouldn't approve of that. But they might resort to expelling him or even imposing a tighter siege. They could stop people entering the compound, cut telephone lines, prevent anyone visiting him.
Over the past 18 months, Arafat's compound has come under siege three times. Most recently every building was destroyed except for the one housing the President. Although much has since been rebuilt, the compound is still piled high with rubble, along with the twisted wrecks of cars smashed by Israeli tanks.
I've arrived at a critical time for the Palestinian Government. Ahmed Qurei, better known as Abu Alaa, is about to become the new Prime Minister. He's been appointed by Arafat to replace Abu Mazen, who resigned a few weeks ago over what was reported to be a power struggle with the President. Abu Alaa has arrived to discuss plans for the new cabinet, but has nothing to say to the assembled media.
All the major newsagencies and Middle Eastern radio and television stations have a presence here. Every morning at 10, they receive a briefing on the day's events. Most are Palestinian, while a few, like me, have come from overseas in the hope of getting an interview with Arafat.
ALI SAWAFTA: Just will have to see if we have anything for you. We will be in touch. If we have anything for you, we'll call you. We'll be in touch with you by phone. If there is anything, we will be inside.
POLISH JOURNALIST: But we have a flight tomorrow to Poland.
ALI SAWAFTA: I'm sorry to tell you that. Sometimes people come from Australia and until now we can't arrange it. We'll wait here. Just you are waiting you waste your time you can do something else until we find time for you.
I've been assured that with well-connected local journalists as friends, I stand a good chance of getting some time with the President.
MOHAMMED SAADI (TRANSLATION): Too bad you're late.
REPORTER (TRANSLATION): I'm sorry. Why?
MOHAMMED SAADI (TRANSLATION): I told you to come Abu Rudeineh was here. We worked together about 20 minutes.
Mohammed Saadi is a Reuters journalist and an old friend. He's agreed to introduce me to Arafat's senior adviser Nabil Abu Radinah.
MOHAMMED SAADI (TRANSLATION): This is Sherine Salam.
NABIL ADU RADINAH (TRANSLATION): Good She can come to these events and film as much as possible. Wait till he's under less pressure. He'll address a celebration in Behtlehem the Internaitonal Socialists were here, then the Executive Committee meeting. We need some time to convince him of this idea. Except for press conferences he rarely gives interviews. But we'll try, since Sherine is here for a week. Tell her to eat baba ghanouj in Ramallah and sweet patries in Nablus. She hasn't had them for ages.
REPORTER (TRANSLATION): Two years.
NABIL ADU RADINAH (TRANSLATION): There, two years because she's losing weight in Australia. OK, we'll see you.
By my third day, the soldiers know who I am, and I'm ushered through the gate. Today a large crowd of locals has arrived at the compound to show solidarity with Arafat.
CROWD (TRANSLATION): We weren't born to live in humiliation. We were born to carry machine guns. We regard Abu Ammar as our father...
Ever since the Israeli government threatened to assassinate or expel Arafat, crowds like this have flocked to the compound.
CROWD (TRANSLATION): With our souls, with our blood, we defend you, Abu Ammar!
Over the years, Arafat has been heavily criticised by many Palestinians, for ruling like a dictator, and for promising far more than he's ever been able to deliver.
VOICE (TRANSLATION): We are heading towards Palestine. Towards an independent Palestinian state. Towards renewed hope.
But more than any other Palestinian leader, Arafat embodies his people's struggle. And when he's threatened, Palestinians take it personally.
CROWD (TRANSLATION): Towards Palestine! Towards Jerusalem!
It's often said that Arafat is at his best in times of crisis. In 1982 just after Israel invaded Lebanon, Arafat still appeared triumphant as he and his soldiers were escorted out of Beirut. Last year, with his compound under siege for 35 days and the water and electricity cut off, he once again showed the qualities that inspire devotion in those around him.
ALI SAWAFTA (TRANSLATION): President Arafat is 74 years old. May he live long. Last year he was 73. But you get the feeling he's only 20 years old. He carries his Kalashnikov which he's kept for years, leaves his shirt undone and shakes hands with the guys.
Ali Sawafta is a press secretary at the compound.
ALI SAWAFTA (TRANSLATION): He went downstairs and met the frontline defence guards. He told them "Don't be scared. We taught them a lesson during the siege of Beirut. It was the same scenario in Jenin.
Arafat's plight outraged much of the international community. The US Secretary of State, Colin Powell, made a personal visit to the beleaguered President.
ALI SAWAFTA (TRANSLATION): When Powell arrived it was strange that a foreign minister of a major power came when the place was under siege. This itself was a message. The foreign minister of a major power comes to visit President Arafat and an Israeli tank escorts him up to the stairs.
These days the Palestinian President receives few high profile visitors and none from Washington. Recently George Bush urged Palestinians to take Iraq's example and change their leader. But Arafat is not without friends.
REPORTER: What do you think of the threats against Yasser Arafat?
Bob Hawke was in the region to attend birthday celebrations for former Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres. He wasn't comfortable explaining his reasons for dropping in on Arafat.
PRESIDENT YASSER ARAFAT: We have to thank His Excellency for his visit and also we have to thank him from our hearts for what he is doing to protect the peace and to continue the road map.
PRIME MINISTER BOB HAWKE: Ladies and gentlemen, by definition, I'm not going to talk about the details of our discussion. That's something between President Arafat and myself but I think we can say, Mr President, that we have discussed some thoughts that I have about how we may be able to advance the process of peace and help to create not just a state of Palestine but a vibrant economy in which the people of Palestine are going to have jobs, economic growth, employment and education. These are the sorts of things that we all want for the people of Palestine. I hope together Mr President, that we may be able to advance that cause. Thank you again.
Unfortunately Arafat has more pressing concerns than economic growth and employment. Today the central committee of Arafat's party, Fatah, is meeting to decide the make-up of the new cabinet. The media isn't welcome at the compound today, but that hasn't stopped a local band from putting on a show. Mohammed Saadi, my friend from Reuters, is helping me work on questions for my interview with Arafat. Yesterday I handed in some sample questions but I've been told to change them.
MOHAMMED SAADI: Recently they changed their plans vis-a-vis interviewing Arafat and they are now asking for the questions before you do the interview. This happened obviously after a number of journalists - Arafat got angry with them because they did ask him what he considered as embarrassing questions for him and that they're taking basically the Israeli view and the American view.
Yet, they're scrutinising questions which are really harmless and neutral and it's like they're doing themselves a disservice?
MOHAMMED SAADI: Well, this is Arafat, you know, he can't change. One of his senior, from the close circle of Arafat once told me, I really bought him two new suits just to change. He refused to put them on. He does not love change.
Tonight the PLO Executive Committee is meeting to discuss the formation of Prime Minister Abu Alaa's new cabinet. As always, photographers and cameramen clamour for the brief photo opportunity inside. According to Palestinian journalists, Arafat wants to crack down on militant groups immediately and he's insisting on an emergency cabinet to do this. But Prime Minister-elect Abu Alaa is more cautious. He doesn't want to tackle the militants without a mandate from the legislative council. The next day I receive a phone call from the compound telling me Arafat will finally have some time for my interview in the evening. It's a bit of a shock to see an ambulance disappear into the compound. For the first time since my arrival, the soldiers seem tense.
SOLDIER (TRANSLATION): What did he tell you?
REPORTER (TRANSLATION): To call about this time and to come to the compound.
SOLDIER (TRANSLATION): Tell her to stop filming.
It doesn't take long for the word to spread that the President isn't well. Soon we're joined by other journalists anxious for news from inside the compound. The next day I'm told that the normal schedule at the compound has been suspended. There will be no opportunity to film the President, let alone interview him. Rumours are flying that Arafat is very sick. Two days later, at least some of the mystery is solved. Arafat has indeed been ill, though a delegation of medical specialists from Jordan has now pronounced him well.
PRESIDENT YASSER ARAFAT: Thank God, the illness has gone, but that doesn't mean you can take me for granted. By the way, when my plane crashed my brother Dr Youssef al-Qusus was the one who treated me, when it crashed in Libya. Remember? He was the one who treated me. He did so under the supervision of the late King Hussein. I won't forget that. That cannot be forgotten. God bless you. If I so much as cough, I have to go to him!
DR.AL-KURDI (TRANSLATION): The other thing that surprised the whole team was the good health and high morale, considering the harsh environmental conditions in which the president and his comrades are living. No doubt he's a great man. We wish him well and all success. Thank you.
PRESIDENT YASSER ARAFAT (TRANSLATION): Together until we get to Jerusalem.
The assurances of Arafat's doctors aren't enough to scotch rumours already circulating that the President has been poisoned. For almost a week, Arafat is too unwell to appear in public again. After decades of struggle, in frail health, and with the threat of assassination hanging over him, the world can only wonder how much life there is left in the Palestinian leader.