In the light of recent developments concerning the death on Hugo Chavez, it is important to emphasize that the US has an explicit policy pertaining to the extrajudicial assassination of foreign leaders.

Since 2001, the order to assassinate foreign leaders emanates from the White House, following the revocation of Executive Order 12333 (!976) which prevented the CIA from ordering the assassination of foreign leaders.

According to Seymour Hersh, there was a second area of extra-legal operations,  the Joint Special Operations Command.

“It is a special wing of our special operations community that is set up independently… They do not report to anybody, except in the Bush-Cheney days, they reported directly to the Cheney office. … Congress has no oversight of it.”

“It’s an executive assassination ring essentially, and it’s been going on and on and on,… Under President Bush’s authority, they’ve been going into countries, not talking to the ambassador or the CIA station chief, and finding people on a list and executing them and leaving. That’s been going on, in the name of all of us.”

In recent developments, following the endorsement of the US Congress, the US president can order the “lawful” assassination of a US citizen or a foreigner, in the US and abroad, theoretically as part of the “Global War on Terrorism”.

The covert assassination of foreign leaders is an integral part of what is euphemistically called “US foreign policy”.

Yasser Arafat was assassinated on the orders of the Israeli Cabinet. In 2003, Israel’s cabinet for political security affairs declared it “a decision to remove Arafat as an obstacle to peace.” When the decision did not mention when the assassination of Arafat would be carried out: “we will choose the right way and the right time to kill Arafat.”

The Israeli Cabinet decision was the object of a debate at the UN Security Council and a motion condemning Israel’s decision to asassinate Arafat. That decision  was officially endorsed by the US, which vetoed the UN Security Council Resolution.

Michel Chossudovsky, Global Research, March 7, 2013

The 2004 assassination of  Yasser Arafat was part of a broader military and intelligence agenda to destroy the Palestinian Authority.  

What recent news reports fail to mention is that the extra-judicial assassination had been ordered by the Israeli cabinet in 2003. It was subsequently approved by the US which vetoed a United Nations Security Resolution condemning the 2003 Israeli Cabinet decision to “get rid of Arafat”.  “We will choose the right way and the right time to kill Arafat.”

(See Michel Chossudovsky, The Invasion of Gaza: “Operation Cast Lead”, Part of a Broader Israeli Military-Intelligence Agenda, Global Research, November 2009)

The assassination of Yasser Arafat had been on the drawing board since 1996 under “Operation Fields of Thorns”. According to an October 2000 document “prepared by the security services, at the request of then Prime Minister Ehud Barak, stated that ‘Arafat, the person, is a severe threat to the security of the state [of Israel] and the damage which will result from his disappearance is less than the damage caused by his existence'”. (Tanya Reinhart, Evil Unleashed, Israel’s move to destroy the Palestinian Authority is a calculated plan, long in the making, Global Research, December 2001. Details of the document were published in Ma’ariv, July 6, 2001.).

Arafat’s assassination was ordered in 2003 by the Israeli cabinet. It was approved by the US which vetoed a United Nations Security Resolution condemning the 2003 Israeli Cabinet decision. Reacting to increased Palestinian attacks, in August 2003, Israeli Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz declared “all out war” on the militants whom he vowed “marked for death.”

“In mid September, Israel’s government passed a law to get rid of Arafat. Israel’s cabinet for political security affairs declared it “a decision to remove Arafat as an obstacle to peace.” Mofaz threatened; “we will choose the right way and the right time to kill Arafat.” Palestinian Minister Saeb Erekat told CNN he thought Arafat was the next target. CNN asked Sharon spokesman Ra’anan Gissan if the vote meant expulsion of Arafat. Gissan clarified; “It doesn’t mean that. The Cabinet has today resolved to remove this obstacle. The time, the method, the ways by which this will take place will be decided separately, and the security services will monitor the situation and make the recommendation about proper action.” (See Trish Shuh, Road Map for a Decease Plan,  www.mehrnews.com November 9 2005)

The assassination of Arafat was part of the 2001 Dagan Plan. In all likelihood, it was carried out by Israeli Intelligence. It was intended to destroy the Palestinian Authority, foment divisions within Fatah as well as between Fatah and Hamas. Mahmoud Abbas is a Palestinian quisling. He was installed as leader of Fatah, with the approval of Israel and the US, which finance the Palestinian Authority’s paramilitary and security forces.

To Read complete Article:

The Invasion of Gaza: “Operation Cast Lead”, Part of a Broader Israeli Military-Intelligence Agenda
– by Michel Chossudovsky – 2009-01-04