By Jim Burns. CNSNews.com Senior Staff Writer. June 15,
2001. CNS News
(CNSNews.com) - Palestinian Leader Yasser Arafat sent a letter of thanks to
Cuban Leader Fidel Castro for the communist leader's support of the Palestinians
in their conflict with Israel.
The Palestinian Ambassador to Cuba read the letter during a pro-Palestinian
rally in front of the U.S. Interest Section offices in Havana on Thursday night.
Castro along with Cuban Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque and Otto Rivero,
president of the Cuban Union of Young Communists, as well as thousands of Cubans
attended the rally.
"In the name of the Palestinian Liberation Organization, I feel honored
to thank you and Fidel Castro for all the support you have given," Arafat
said.
The rally culminated a two-day forum on Palestine that was attended by Latin
American and Caribbean representatives. The United Nations, the Cuban Foreign
Ministry and a Palestinian Rights organization sponsored that forum.
Granma, the Castro government's official newspaper reported Thursday that
conference participants passed a declaration calling on the international
community to increase "efforts in the defense of the Palestinian people's
right to self-determination."
Dr. Daniel Pipes, editor of the Middle East Quarterly said Friday the Castro
government and Arafat have had good relations for many years.
"P-L-O and Cuban ties are longstanding and have quite a strong nature.
So, there's nothing unusual or surprising about it. Arafat has always cast his
lot in with the rogue states and nothing's changed," Pipes said.
Cuba broke relations with Israel in the early 1970s and has been a staunch
supporter of the Palestinian Authority's fight for an independent state.
Meanwhile, Israeli and Palestinian officials are scheduled to meet to assess
the state of the fragile US-brokered ceasefire that went into effect on
Wednesday.
The truce agreement has come under strain after sporadic violence on
Thursday left two Palestinians and one Israeli dead.
Under the ceasefire terms, Israel has eased travel restrictions in the Gaza
Strip, opened border crossings with Egypt and withdrawn tanks and blockades from
flashpoints in Palestinian areas.
But Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has said that troops will not be
pulled back from areas where the violence has continued. | 
