Charles Krauthammer  WASHINGTON -- It is now conventional wisdom
that the new opening to a Middle East peace is a result of
Yasser Arafat's death. This is only half true, and it misses the
larger point.       Arafat's death was a necessary condition for
hope, but not a sufficient one. It was necessary because Arafat
had the power to suppress and literally kill any chances of
peace. But his passing would have meant nothing if it had not
occurred at a time when the Palestinians finally realized that
Arafat's last great gamble, the second intifada, was a disaster.
     The reason history does not always repeat itself is that
the interval in between often leaves its mark. The Palestinians
know that Arafat's war left them a legacy of death, corruption,
misery, international isolation and social ruin as the myriad
militias he created roam the streets, terrorizing their own
people. That is why they elected Mahmoud Abbas, who campaigned
against the intifada.       Is Abbas a real peacemaker? We do
not know yet. He w