What Would Happen If Arafat Were Gone?

By Matt Rees and Aharon Klein

As pressure increases on Yasser Arafat to end the violence that threatens to scuttle the peace mission of Anthony Zinni, even a photo op with the U.S. mediator (see below) could not rouse the Palestinian leader to a show of optimism. Many in Israel are just as disillusioned with Arafat as he appears to be with Zinni. A growing number of right-wing politicians want Israel to put an end to Arafat's regime. According to an Israeli newspaper poll, 66% of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's Likud Party believe that Arafat should be kicked out of the West Bank and Gaza; 36% favor his assassination.

But what would happen if Arafat were removed from the scene? Some not very encouraging clues have emerged from a major haul of files snatched by Israeli paratroopers during a brief reoccupation of Bethlehem last November. The papers were found in an office of Arafat's Fatah branch of the Palestine Liberation Organization and reveal the struggle that might ensue if he were ever forced to give up power. Israeli intelligence translated the files, and an index of the dossiers has been obtained by TIME. The papers reveal scandalous material on various underlings in the Fatah leadership, including evidence of adultery by one Fatah chief and wild partying by a middle-aged member of the Palestinian Cabinet. The cache shows the extent of intrigue in the Fatah leadership, with members collecting dirt on potential rivals for power. Another bonus for the Israelis: lists of Palestinian agents living and working in East Jerusalem, which is under Israeli control. Israeli intelligence sources say they've already used the list to make arrests.

--By Matt Rees and Aharon Klein