Middle East: An Irreplaceable but Tired Symbol

Arafat fails to heal the divisions within a weakened P.L.O.

The meeting had been promised for nearly a year, then scheduled, canceled and scheduled again. At one point Yasser Arafat vowed to hold it on a boat at sea if no other site could be found. The Palestine National Council, a sort of parliament in exile, finally convened in Amman last week for its annual session. Next to Arafat sat King Hussein of Jordan, who glossed over past differences with the P.L.O. leader to be host to the convention in his capital. "You have...

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