Arafat's Bodyguard: He Used to Lie When Denouncing Bombings in Israel

Muhammad Al-Daya, longtime bodyguard of Yasser Arafat, said in a recent TV interview that Arafat used to lie when he denounced bombings in Israel. Arafat "would condemn the bombing in his own special way, saying: 'I am against the killing of civilians.' But that wasn’t true," said Al-Daya, in a BBC Arabic interview which aired on April 3, 2014.

Following are excerpts

Interviewer: Ariel Sharon used to say that Arafat was a pathological liar. Many politicians who had dealings with Arafat said he was an excellent liar.

Muhammad Al-Daya: Islam allows you to lie in three cases: In order to reconcile two people...

Interviewer: For the sake of reconciliation.

Muhammad Al-Daya: If your wife is ugly, you are allowed to tell her she is the most beautiful woman alive. The third case is politics. You are allowed to lie in politics.

Interviewer: So you acknowledge this...

Muhammad Al-Daya: Yes.

Interviewer: So he used to lie in your presence?

Muhammad Al-Daya: Abu Ammar? Yes. When there was a bombing in Tel Aviv, for example, he would say... This would happen due to pressure, especially by President Hosni Mubarak. Mubarak would call Arafat and say to him: “Denounce it, or they will screw you.” Arafat would say to Mubarak: “Mr. President, we have martyrs. The [Israelis] have destroyed us. They have massacred us.” But Mubarak would say to him: “Denounce it, or they will screw you.”

Then Arafat would condemn the bombing in his own special way, saying: “I am against the killing of civilians.” But that wasn’t true.

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