Many view this apparently light-hearted tussle
as a sign that Arafat and Barak were getting on well.
Think again.
There is a, a great meaning behind who goes through the door first.
Now, of course, see that here in the West, letting someone through the door first
that doesnĄŻt really matter, polite maybe.
But in the Middle East, it has significant cultural impact.
The host, the power person says IĄŻm in control,
IĄŻll help you through the door,
IĄŻll show you the way.
?
Thank you.
Throwing the fear and tension presented in most Middle East negotiations,
and suddenly the desire of both Arafat and Barak not to go through that door before the other starts to make sense.
This is a classic example in an extreme way of how the last man through the door is the winner.
So Barak reaches for Yasser Arafat.
Arafat literally grabs this on, moves around and starts waggling his finger
at Barak who then,
Barak then uses it as an opportunity like a wrestling match to move around,
to actually be behind Arafat and then literally grabs Arafat,