Al Bawaba bends over backwards to portray Suha Afatrat in a favorable light.
While acknowledging the rumours that she is leading an extravagant lifestyle at the expense of her “beloved” PLO Arabs, Al Bawaba implies that these stories are always emanating from Israeli sources, or from Arabs with an axe to grind with Afatrat.
From time to time, the name Suha Arafat resurfaces in various media reports ñ usually as part of some controversial story, aimed at discrediting Palestinian leader Arafat. Obviously, such reports largely emanate from either Israelis or Israel supporters, but at times, also from sources in the Arab world who don’t see eye to eye with Yasser Arafat’s policies on different issues.
(/sarcasm on). Yes, obviously (/sarcasm off).
But what about this?
Recently, reports said that Suha lives in Paris on $100,000 a month from Palestinian Authority funds. According to rumors, Suha Arafat’s mother, Raymonda, also lives extravagantly – apparently off international generosity and the Palestinian taxpayers.
“The last I heard, she was living in the Bristol Hotel, which is regarded as one of the premier hotels – if not the premier hotel – in Paris,” an Arab source told the New York Daily News last year. “It is not far from the Elysee Palace and the American Embassy and the fashionable shopping district, Rue St. Honor.
“I understand that she has a whole floor to herself and her entourage, and that she has been living there for over a year. Must be quite expensive, especially given the financial situation of the Palestinians. … And that does not include shopping and dining!”
Al Bawaba refute this with irrefutable evidence.
However, the concierge at the Bristol, where a suite and 19 rooms cost $16,000 a night said no one listed under the last name Arafat was living at the hotel.
Obviously, Al Bawaba have not heard of checking-in under an alias, especially considering that the name Arafat may attract some unwanted attention.
In another laughable quote, the article mentions Suha’s reason for remaining in Paris.
Arafat’s wife, who has been living away from her husband and out of the West Bank “for security reasons,” said she wishes to be with him during the siege imposed on him in the West Bank town of Ramallah.
Security reasons? I guess she feels less secure wearing anything less than Gucci. However, for sheer ridiculous, you cannot surpass the following Suha quote:
“I married a myth,” she said. “But the marriage helped him step down from his pedestal and become a human being.”
Afatrat is many things. But human being is not one of them.
Needless to say, this does not bother the French.
Asked if Yasser Arafat is now entitled to French citizenship as spouse of a French national, Gaudin said that according to French law, the Palestinian president is not automatically entitled to such citizenship, but if he meets certain criteria, he theoretically can get a French passport, Israel’s mass-circulation Yediot Aharonot daily reported.
