'Discovered' Documents Prove Nothing

According to the Israeli Army and the Prime Minister's office, Israel has "uncovered" documents that, it alleges, link Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat with terrorist operations.

1. DOCUMENTS ARE OF QUESTIONABLE AUTHENTICITY.

   1. Israel refused to allow any independent verification of the documents and the circumstances surrounding their "discovery." Journalists and lawyers were refused access to any of the sites where these documents were allegedly found and consequently denied access to any mitigating facts. For example, were the documents found in a file marked "salaries"? Were there other documents condemning terrorism and/or outlining measures taken to counter terrorism?
      
      
   2. Israel has a history of fabricating evidence. For example, in 1967, Israel attacked the USS Liberty (killing more than 30 American servicemen) with unmarked warplanes in an attempt to frame Egypt. If Israel is capable of killing US citizens in an attempt to frame Egypt, it is certainly capable of fabricating documents to frame the Palestinian Authority.
      
      

2. DOCUMENTS DO NOT PROVE A LINK TO TERRORISM.

   Even if authentic, the documents prove only that money was approved for transfer to members of the Fatah party. In order to prove a link between President Arafat and terrorism the following elements must be proven that: (a) the named individuals were involved in terrorism; (b) President Arafat was personally aware that such individuals were involved with terrorism; and (c) President Arafat gave money to these individuals to carry out terrorist activities.

   1. Israel has presented NO EVIDENCE that the named individuals were involved in terrorist activities.
      
      
   2. Israel has presented NO EVIDENCE that President Arafat personally knew that the named individuals were involved in terrorist activities.
      
      
   3. Israel has presented NO EVIDENCE that President Arafat gave money to these individuals to carry out terrorist activities.
      
      

   The individuals named in these documents were members of the Fatah party - the party which President Arafat heads - and it is therefore normal that sums are paid to these individuals either as salaries or as subsistence payments due to the destroyed economy.

   In addition, one document is dated September 19, 2001 and the people mentioned in the documents are allegedly members of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade. Please note that the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigade was not involved in any activities inside Israel until February 2002 (and Ra'ed Karmi was assassinated by Israel in January 2002).

Analogy: For an employer to be held responsible for the criminal actions of an employee, a prosecutor would have to demonstrate that: (a) the employee was indeed involved in criminal activity; (b) the employer knew that the employee was involved in such activity; and (c) the employer gave money to the employee to carry out such criminal activity.

NOTE ON DOCUMENT ALLEGEDLY REQUESTING MONEY FOR BOMBS:

The Israeli army also alleges to have found a document faxed to Fuad Shubaki's office requesting money for bombs. Even if authentic, there is no evidence of a link to terrorism: (a) receiving a document from a criminal does not make the recipient a terrorist and (b) there is no evidence of any payment having been made.