Yasser Arafat
Yasser Arafat - Introduction To The Life of a Great Leader
For some people, Mohammed Abdel-Raouf Arafat also better known as Yasser Arafat, was a terrorist who should be hanged till death, and at other hand for some people, he was a great leader who was worth following.
'It's Hard to Be Spiritual When There's So Much Pushing'
In the latest entry in her hajj diary, the Guardian's religious affairs correspondent reaches Arafat for the spiritual peak of the mass pilgrimage
Doctors Disagree on Death of Arafat
The publication of Yasser Arafat's medical records yesterday failed to offer a clear reason for the cause of his death.
Killing of Arafat's Cousin Triggers Turmoil
The Palestinian leadership was facing a major challenge to its authority in Gaza last night after a former security chief and relative of Yasser Arafat was dragged from his home by dozens of armed men and shot dead.
Former Palestinian Security Chief Assassinated
A former Palestinian security chief who was a cousin of Yasser Arafat was dragged from his Gaza home and shot dead by militants today.
The Hot Seat Awaits Mahmoud Abbas
Simon Tisdall: Britain, the US and moderate Arab countries will begin a concerted drive this week to push Mahmoud Abbas towards a historic post-Arafat compromise with Israel.
Divided People Enjoys a Taste of Freedom
Israeli army eases restrictions to allow voting on Yasser Arafat's successor.
No Way to Die
Yasser Arafat's death last month in a French hospital was shrouded in mystery, accusation and acrimony. While a nation mourned, those nearest to him found themselves struggling for access, battling to find out the truth - and even, after he had died, fighting over his few possessions. Suzanne Goldenberg talks to those closest to the Palestinian leader to piece together the real story of his death.
French to Release Arafat Medical Records
French officials were expected to release the medical records of Yasser Arafat to his nephew today, with Palestinian officials indicating they would make them public.
Palestinian Inquiry Into Arafat's Death
The Palestinian leadership is to send a delegation to Paris in an attempt to establish the cause of Yasser Arafat's death last week amid a growing belief among Palestinians that he was poisoned by Israel.
Arafat Heir Beats Off Fatah 'old Guard'
The man widely expected to succeed Yasser Arafat in next year's Palestinian elections, Mahmoud Abbas, yesterday appeared to win a power struggle in the dominant Fatah movement after a bloody gun battle in Gaza City. The Fatah secretary general in Gaza, Ahmed Hillis, led dozens of armed...
Arafat Laid to Rest in Ramallah
Yasser Arafat was buried in the West Bank amid chaotic scenes today, as thousands of mourners gathered to pay tribute to the man known as the father of the Palestinians. The helicopter bearing Arafat's coffin was forced to delay landing in his Ramallah compound after huge crowds burst...
Chaos Greets Arafat's Coffin
The helicopter bearing Yasser Arafat's coffin touched down in the West Bank amid chaotic scenes today, as thousands of mourners swarmed into the Ramallah compound where the Palestinian leader is to be buried. Huge crowds burst through the gates and climbed over the walls to pay their...
Arab World Honours Arafat
Yasser Arafat's coffin, draped in the Palestinian flag, was borne by an Egyptian guard of honour into a military mosque today for a funeral service attended by presidents and ministers from more than 50 countries. "He has served his people all his life, until he faced his God, with...
Burial Site Prepared As Arafat Clings on
Bulldozers began clearing a site for Yasser Arafat's burial yesterday inside the Ramallah compound that was effectively his prison for the past two years, as France's prime minister, Jean-Pierre Raffarin, said the Palestinian president was in his "final hours". Palestinian political and...
Arafat's Life in 'final Phase'
A senior Palestinian cleric arrived in France today and was rushing to Yasser Arafat's hospital bedside to be with him in the "final phase" of his life, according to a spokeswoman for the Palestinian leader. Taissir Dayut Tamimi, the head of the Islamic court in the occupied territories...
Sharon Rival Backs Down
The Israeli finance minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, yesterday withdrew his threat to resign over the proposed Israeli pullout from Gaza and claimed his about-turn was because of the expected demise of Yasser Arafat. Mr Netanyahu is Mr Sharon's main rival in the Likud party and his departure...
Arafat Close to Death, Say Officials
Palestinian officials said Yasser Arafat was close to death last night after suffering a brain haemorrhage and sinking deeper into a week-long coma. The Palestinian prime minister, Ahmed Qureia, visited Mr Arafat at a Paris military hospital to try to establish the true state of his...
Arafat Death Reports Denied
The fate of Yasser Arafat was mired in confusion today as his foreign minister dismissed reports that the veteran Palestian leader had died at a Paris hospital. Nabil Sha'ath said Mr Arafat was "very much alive" - though several political sources said earlier that he had succumbed to an...
Arafat 'has Only Hours to Live'
The Palestinian caretaker leadership are "counting the hours" to Yasser Arafat's death, after talking to doctors treating him, it was reported today. The Reuters news agency, quoting sources close to the leadership, said the Palestinian prime minister, Ahmed Qureia, and his colleagues...
Arafat's Wife Locks Horns With Leadership
Palestinian leaders arrived in France last night in an attempt to establish the true state of Yasser Arafat's health, despite the objections of his wife, who has accused them of planning to "bury him alive". But doctors at the Percy military hospital in Paris appeared to pre-empt the...
Palestinian Leaders Resume Plan to Visit Arafat
Ahmed Qureia, the Palestinian prime minister, today reversed a decision not to visit Yasser Arafat in hospital and spoke of his "utmost regret" that the ailing leader's wife had charged senior leaders of plotting against him. The caretaker leadership had been scheduled to travel to Paris...
Palestinian Leaders Delay Arafat Visit
The Palestinian leadership today postponed a visit to Yasser Arafat after the leader's wife told them to stay away and accused them of conspiring to "bury him alive". Ahmed Qureia, the Palestinian prime minister, the acting head of the PLO and Fatah, Mahmoud Abbas, and the foreign...
Leaders' Visit Adds to Arafat Confusion
The Palestinian leadership is to travel to Paris today to visit Yasser Arafat, who is gravely ill and possibly on life support, in a French military hospital. Officials said the prime minister, Ahmed Qureia, the acting head of the main Palestinian political organisations, Mahmoud Abbas,...
Israel Rejects Arafat Choice of Burial Site
Even before Yasser Arafat is declared dead, he is at the centre of a dispute over where he will be laid to rest, after Israel refused to allow his burial in the holy city of Jerusalem. The Palestinian leader wishes to be interred at one of the most sacred sites in Islam, Haram as-Sharif,...
Arafat Clings to Life As Switch of Power Begins
Yasser Arafat was fighting for his life in a French hospital last night after repeatedly losing consciousness, but doctors denied reports that he was already dead.
Hospital Denies Arafat is Dead
A spokesman at the military hospital on the outskirts of Paris where Yasser Arafat is a patient today denied reports that the Palestinian leader had died. The spokesman made a brief statement tonight shortly after a report on Israeli television, citing French medical sources, that stated...
Arafat 'in a Coma'
Yasser Arafat has lost consciousness repeatedly in recent hours and there are reports that he has lapsed into a coma. Citing a senior Palestinian official, Reuters said that the frail Palestinian leader had gone into a coma and was in a critical condition. The Associated Press...
Arafat in Intensive Care
Yasser Arafat's condition has suddenly worsened and he is in intensive care undergoing a new round of tests, Palestinian officials in France said today. Israeli media, citing Israeli intelligence officials, said the Palestinian leader had suffered organ failure and was going in and out of...
Ian Black: World Watch
Yasser Arafat has sustained an entire cottage industry of biographers and experts during his long and eventful career, but the book that comes closest to explaining what makes him tick is by the veteran Israeli journalist Danny Rubinstein.
Arafat's Potential Successors Take Control
Yasser Arafat's grip on power appeared to be slipping yesterday after his subordinates assumed control of the major Palestinian organisations at the weekend and some politicians predicted that his domination was at an end. The Palestinian leader's aides portrayed the transfer of powers as...
Frail Arafat Arrives in France
A frail Yasser Arafat arrived in France today for urgent medical treatment, with many of his supporters fearing he will never return to the Palestinian territories. After sunrise the Palestinian leader boarded a Jordanian military helicopter outside his compound in the West Bank town of...
Turmoil Fear As Arafat Leaves for Urgent Treatment
Yasser Arafat is to fly to Paris today for emergency medical treatment, leaving for the first time in more than two years the battered Ramallah compound in which Israel has confined him. Doctors from four Arab countries were yesterday unable to pinpoint what had caused the serious...
Arafat to Be Treated Abroad
An ailing Yasser Arafat is expected to be moved from his West Bank compound to an overseas hospital - possibly in Paris or Jordan - later today, according to Palestinian officials. "It is most likely President Arafat will be transferred abroad for treatment. And it is very likely he will...
Palestinian Officials Rush to Bedside of Ailing Arafat
The Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat, was in a serious condition last night after a sharp deterioration in his health, Palestinian officials said. A three-man emergency committee of Palestinian leaders was rapidly appointed as an ambulance rushed doctors to his Ramallah compound, where...
Arafat 'allowed to Leave Compound'
Israel has agreed to allow the Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat, to leave his compound to receive medical treatment, Israeli media reported tonight. The decision would permit Mr Arafat to leave his compound in Ramallah for the first time in two and a half years and receive attention at a...
Sharon Hints That Arafat May Be Killed
Ariel Sharon has threatened that Yasser Arafat will meet the same fate as Hamas leaders who were assassinated earlier this year by the Israeli military. In ambiguous comments to Israeli newspapers to mark the Jewish new year, the prime minister said he intends to force the Palestinian...
Arafat Sees Off Prime Minister's Challenge
The Palestinian prime minister yesterday withdrew his threat to resign after Yasser Arafat appeared to concede some powers to him over security forces. The move means Mr Arafat has successfully seen off a challenge to his power. Ahmed Qureia threatened to quit almost two weeks ago after...
Arafat Urged to End Corruption After Unrest
Leader forced to sack cousin as security chief after two days.
Don't Blame Arafat
Camp David failed because Israeli hardliners manipulated intelligence. In his memoirs, the former US president Bill Clinton writes that the Camp David summit, of which this month marks the fourth anniversary, was the greatest failure of his career.
Arafat Recognises Jewish State and Limit to Return of Refugees
Yasser Arafat has told an Israeli newspaper that he recognises Israel's right to remain a Jewish state and is, therefore, prepared to accept the return of only a fraction of the Palestinian refugees. In an interview with Ha'aretz, published yesterday, the Palestinian leader was asked if...
Arafat Denounces Us-israeli Gaza Plan
Yasser Arafat today insisted that Palestinian refugees would never give up their right to return to their former homes in the West Bank, in defiance of a new US-Israeli initiative to resolve the Middle East conflict. Mr Arafat spoke one day after President George Bush endorsed a plan that...
Why Was €1m a Month Sent to Arafat's Wife?
France launches inquiry into suspect bank transfers as Israelis say EU money went to help suicide bombers.
Arafat in Crisis Over Fatah Exodus
Hundreds of members of Yasser Arafat's Fatah movement resigned at the weekend in protest at the lack of political reform, corruption and the leadership's failure to challenge the Israeli occupation. The resignations are the latest evidence of a deepening crisis within the organisation...
Plan to Exile or Kill Arafat Abandoned
Ariel Sharon says he has abandoned a threat made by his cabinet barely a month ago to exile or even kill Yasser Arafat.
Arafat Has Suffered Heart Attack, Admits Aide
Officials tried to hide condition of president threatened by Israel.
Gaza shifts to a new solution
He smiles and raises his two fingers in a sign of victory, gazing over the thousands of supporters that have flocked to his side to protect him. Yasser Arafat last week escaped from the political margins thanks to the Israeli government's declaration to 'remove' him on Thursday.
Sidelining of Yasser Arafat raises Palestinian hopes
Supporters of the peace process see the appointment of a Prime Minister as the first step to more honest government and the eventual creation of a Palestinian state.
Pressure Mounts on Sharon to Exile Arafat
Pressure was growing on the Israeli leadership yesterday to take the fateful decision to send Yasser Arafat into exile after the Jerusalem bus bomb that killed 11 people. Washington is continuing to warn Israel against the move and the Israeli prime minister, Ariel Sharon, has said he...
Ex-aide Condemns Arafat's Handling of Intifada
Yasser Arafat has been criticised by his former security chief for failing to grasp the chance to establish an independent state, even on unfavourable terms, and for the attacks on Israeli civilians. Muhammad Dahlan, who resigned last week as Mr Arafat's national security adviser and...
Troops Back in at Arafat Hq
Israeli troops today reoccupied three buildings near Yasser Arafat's headquarters in the West Bank, just two days after ending a siege of his compound.
Puzzle of the Prisoner of Ramallah
Chris McGreal in Ramallah asks what Sharon hopes to gain by keeping Arafat confined.
US in talks rift over Arafat's future role
The United States failed to head off disagreements about the future of Yasser Arafat yesterday at a meeting of the "quartet" of Middle East mediators in New York.
Arafat sacks security chiefs
The embattled Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat, sacked two of his most senior security chiefs yesterday, according to Palestinian officials.
British Minister Snubs Americans With Visit to Arafat
Britain delivered an emphatic snub to the United States president, George Bush, last night by sending one of its foreign ministers to meet the Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat.
Mohammed Dahlan: We'll choose our leaders
As long as the Israelis are against Arafat, I'm with him - whatever my reservations. Far from setting out a vision of peace, President Bush's plan for the Middle East points instead to an American decision to give up on the peace process.
If not Arafat, who?
The Palestinian leader has maintained his power over many years by ensuring that nobody can become strong enough to replace him. Now, with President Bush's call for new leadership, the field is wide open. There are at least five possible runners.
Arafat Approved Reforms Just As Tanks Rolled in
Arafat approved sweeping package of reforms just 48 hours before President Bush declared that the Palestinian leader and his government must go, the Guardian has learned.
One-sided offer that will change nothing
Hours before President Bush delivered his vision for Middle East peace yesterday, Israeli tanks roared up to the headquarters of Yasser Arafat and a sixth Palestinian town fell under Israeli military occupation.
Arafat approves Taba plan too late
The Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat, yesterday belatedly accepted a Middle East peace plan put forward 18 months ago by the then US president, Bill Clinton.
Arafat: Suicide Bombings Must Stop
The Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat, today appealed to his people to stop attacking Israeli civilians, in a message drafted after the second suicide bomb attack in Jerusalem in two days claimed the lives of seven Israelis. Mr Arafat said recent suicide bomb attacks "have given the...
Power struggle that lies behind Arafat's reluctance to crack down on killers
Why Fatah leader decries acts of 'terror' but fails to act. Yasser Arafat's Palestinian Authority has made only a token effort to limit the financial gains for the suicide bombers by stopping pension payments to the families of bombers on its payroll.
Arafat yields to US by slashing cabinet
Yasser Arafat responded to international pressure to reform the Palestinian Authority yesterday by sacking almost half his cabinet.
Tank Raid Leaves Arafat Hq in Ruins
Six-hour wrecking mission flattens national security force compound and puts hole in Palestinian leader's bedroom wall.
Demands for Vengeance After Car Bomber Kills 16
The Israeli prime minister, Ariel Sharon, last night came under intense pressure to reoccupy the entire West Bank and Gaza and expel the Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat, after a Palestinian suicide attacker drove a car bomb into a bus crammed with Israeli soldiers, killing 16 people...
Weakened Arafat left in isolation as factions offer alternative route
Yasser Arafat responded to yesterday's devastating car bomb attack with a swift condemnation of the operation, followed by an defensive insistence that his leadership had no connection with the attack.
Egyptians crackers for Arafat
There is a new accessory for people wanting to demonstrate solidarity with the Palestinian cause: Yasser Arafat cheesy puffs.
Robert Malley and Hussein Agha: Why Barak is wrong
In an interview last week, former Israeli prime minister Ehud Barak laid blamed Yasser Arafat for the breakdown of the peace process. Here, Robert Malley and Hussein Agha counter his claims.
American Leaders Split Over Future of Arafat
A dispute between leading figures in the Bush administration over whether to push for the removal of the Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat, is stalling the peace process, a report in the New York Times claims. While the secretary of state, Colin Powell, and the CIA chief, George Tenet,...
Arafat accused of diverting EU donations
Israelis say money is used to pay for terrorism.
An Opportunity Not to Be Missed
Yasser Arafat has the chance to bring democracy to the Palestinian people and thereby aid their struggle for liberation. He must not let it slip through his fingers, writes Brian Whitaker.
Arafat Agrees to Hold Presidential Elections Within Six Months
Yasser Arafat, the Palestinian leader, has decided to hold presidential and parliamentary elections within six months, Ahmed Abdel Rahman, a senior adviser, said last night. The dramatic move followed a call by the Palestinian parliament earlier in the day for radical reforms, including...
Arafat Admits Errors and Offers Reforms
Under intense pressure at home and abroad, and fighting to resurrect the Palestinian Authority after weeks of Israeli onslaught, Yasser Arafat tried to win over his people yesterday with promises of sweeping reform. He came as close as he has ever come to criticising himself, but blamed...
Arafat says bombers get foreign help
The Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat, yesterday claimed that international powers were supporting Palestinian suicide bombers. But he refused to identify any countries.
Anger As Arafat Shuns Camp
Jenin visit called off during leader's tour of West Bank.
Arafat Denounces Likud Vote
The Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat, today denounced the vote by Israel's Likud party against a Palestinian state before visiting Bethlehem in his first West Bank tour in six months. The vote, taken early this morning, saw the Likud party overwhelmingly reject a Palestinian state "west...
I will die here, says defiant Arafat
The Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat, yesterday vowed to die in the West Bank rather than be forced into exile by the Israeli prime minister, Ariel Sharon.
Policy changes and splits inside administration add to confusion
Although the White House moved yesterday to deny Israel's claims that it had US backing for the removal of Yasser Arafat, the denials did little to clarify President Bush's policy in the Middle East, adrift among disagreements within the administration and a general reluctance to get more deeply involved.
Sharon eyes option of large-scale military offensive
Three options awaited Israel's prime minister, Ariel Sharon, on his return from Washington last night: expulsion of the Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat, a sweeping invasion of the Gaza Strip, or an escalation of the Israeli army's raids on West Bank towns.
US Tells Sharon: Arafat is Leader, Now Negotiate
President George Bush is expected to tell the Israeli prime minister, Ariel Sharon, today that he must accept Yasser Arafat as the legitimate Palestinian leader, despite Israel's claims to have proof of his involvement in terrorism. He will also urge Mr Sharon to curb the building of...
No easy way out of the wreckage for Arafat
In his first steps on his victory tour through the wreckage of Ramallah yesterday, Yasser Arafat embarked on a parallel journey from self-styled "martyr in the making" and symbol of Palestinian resistance to flawed mortal confronting gargantuan challenges.
Victory Leaves a Bitter Taste
Yasser Arafat emerged from his months of confinement behind Israeli tanks and snipers yesterday waving two fingers in a Churchillian salute. To some Palestinians his freedom to roam the streets of Ramallah once again was indeed a victory. He had, they said, survived Israel's latest...
Suzanne Goldenberg: No Easy Way Out of the Wreckage for Arafat
In his first steps on his victory tour through the wreckage of Ramallah yesterday, Yasser Arafat embarked on a parallel journey from self-styled "martyr in the making" and symbol of Palestinian resistance to flawed mortal confronting gargantuan challenges.
Triumphant Arafat Emerges From Besieged Compound
· Sharon maintains Arafat exile threat
· Arab League demands full Israeli withdrawal
· UN to disband Jenin fact-finding group
Arafat is back in business, but Saudis are running the show
Yasser Arafat, the survivor of numerous assassination attempts, a car write-off, a plane crash in the desert and weeks of confinement in the remains of his Ramallah headquarters, appeared to be back in business last night - despite previous Israeli declarations that he is "irrelevant".
Britons in Talks on Jail Transfer to End Arafat Siege
An advance team of British and American experts began talks with Palestinian officials in Ramallah last night to arrange the transfer of six prisoners to joint UK and US custody in return for Israel lifting its month-long siege of Yasser Arafat's headquarters. The British party, an...
UK Monitors to Help End Arafat Siege
British and American officials to travel to Jerusalem to finalise a plan to end the month-long siege of Yasser Arafat's offices in Ramallah.
Arafat jails suspected assassins
Yasser Arafat moved to end his month-long incarceration by putting on trial and sentencing four Palestinian militants.
Three Suspected Informers Killed in Hebron
· Attacks follow killing of militant leader
· Talks begin in Bethlehem
· Arafat to try Israeli minister's assassins
Arafat Siege Goes on As Tanks Pull Out
Israeli tanks and armour yesterday redeployed around the cities of Nablus and Ramallah as Israel's prime minister, Ariel Sharon said the first stage of Israel's offensive had ended.
New Threat to Us Peace Mission
Ariel Sharon threatened yesterday to derail a mission by the US secretary of state to contain the crisis in the Middle East by warning that his troops might storm the ruined headquarters of Yasser Arafat to capture the killers of a far-right cabinet minister.
Six killed by Jenin camp girl bomber
The Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigade, linked to Yasser Arafat's Fatah movement, claims responsibility for suicide attack on busy market in west Jerusalem.
All Smiles for Sharon As Us Turns the Heat on Arafat
US secretary of state Colin Powell's peace mission in the Middle East appeared to stumble at the first hurdle yesterday when US officials postponed today's planned meeting with Yasser Arafat at least until tomorrow after a suicide bomb attack which killed six people. In the aftermath of...
Sharon Defies Calls to End Offensive
Just hours after his soldiers opened fire on Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity, the Israeli prime minister, Ariel Sharon, said this morning he intended to complete his military operation against Yasser Arafat's "regime of terror", a move that directly defies US calls to pull troops out of the West...
Front line life of an Irish peace crusader
Caoimhe Butterly, a young woman who has devoted her life to campaigning against human rights, is trapped inside Yasser Arafat's Ramallah compound.
Sharon tries to destroy all traces of Arafat rule
Two monuments to destruction awaited Palestinians when Ramallah briefly came to life yesterday during the relaxation of the Israeli army curfew:
Onslaught Continues As Arafat Meets Us Envoy
Yasser Arafat's isolation amid the ruin of his headquarters ended yesterday a week after it began with a visit from America's envoy. But the minor diplomatic coup was offset by Israel's relentless assault on the Palestinian towns of the West Bank.
Zinni Meets Arafat
Against a backdrop of continuing gun battles in major West Bank towns, the US envoy to the Middle East, Anthony Zinni, today became the first international representative to meet the Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat, since he was confined to his Ramallah headquarters last week. Mr Arafat...
The president's demands
Arafat: Stop all terrorist activities
Sharon Tells Arafat: You're Free to Go But You're Never Coming Back
Israel's prime minister, Ariel Sharon, stepped up the public humiliation of Yasser Arafat yesterday by offering him a "one-way ticket" into exile. Speaking at an army base in the occupied West Bank, Mr Sharon said he had received calls from world leaders voicing concern about the...
Arafat Siege Continues
Israeli troops today exchanged fire with guards at the office of the Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat. Meanwhile two Palestinian suicide bombers blew themselves up, killing at least 14 people and wounding more than 40 in separate attacks in an Israeli port city and a Jewish West Bank settlement...
I saw the bodies, killed by a shot to the head
Israeli killings: Troops stormed Arafat's men's base - and Palestinians believe that what followed was an execution.
US was told of attack plan
The US secretary of state, Colin Powell, said yesterday that Israel had told Washington in advance of its plans to attack Yasser Arafat's compound and given assurances that it intended to isolate the Palestinian leader, but not to kill or capture him.
Europe insists on Arafat's status as a legitimate authority
As Israel declared Yasser Arafat an enemy and sent tanks crashing into his headquarters yesterday, Europe insisted that he was still a legitimate authority and a partner for peace.
United in bitterness, divided over strategy
Ever since the Intifada erupted in September 2000, there have been two main schools of thought in Israel over the personality and policy of Yasser Arafat.
Beware the Martyr
Yasser Arafat says that the only way General Ariel Sharon will ever lay hands on him is "as the corpse of a martyr".
Sharon Leaves Us Policy in Tatters
Washington was yesterday struggling to salvage its Middle East policy after a series of blows to its credibility and influence at the Arab summit in Beirut. President George Bush's administration had publicly called for Yasser Arafat to be allowed to attend the summit, and US officials...
Sharon Deals Fatal Blow to Saudi Peace Bid
A rare opportunity for reconciliation with the Jewish state was fast disappearing ahead of today's Arab League summit, buried beneath Ariel Sharon's increasingly vitriolic confrontation with Yasser Arafat.
Furious Arafat to Miss Summit
Defiant Palestinian leader refuses to bow to the ever-toughening conditions of Israel's prime minister, Ariel Sharon, for his attendance at today's Arab League summit in Beirut.
Arafat Travel Ban Remains in Place
The Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat, has not yet met Israel's conditions for attending an Arab summit in Beirut but there is still time for him to do so, the Israeli government said today. The Israeli prime minister, Ariel Sharon, wants Mr Arafat to implement a truce on the ground and...
Let Arafat Attend Summit, Us Urges
The US stepped up pressure on Israel yesterday to let Yasser Arafat attend this week's crucial Arab summit in Beirut, which is expected to approve a Middle East peace initiative. The White House spokesman, Ari Fleischer, called on Israel to "give serious consideration" to allowing Mr...
Bomber Rocks Ceasefire Hopes
A suicide bomber allied to Yasser Arafat yesterday delivered a lethal challenge to America's diplomatic strategy for the Middle East, killing two Israelis and wounding dozens more.
Sharon May Lift Arafat Travel Ban
The Israeli prime minister, Ariel Sharon, said today that the travel ban on the Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat, would be lifted if he implemented a US-designed peace plan. Meanwhile, the US vice-president, Dick Cheney, standing next to Mr Sharon at a news conference this morning, said...
'Spies' Lynched As Zinni Flies in
The blood feud between Israel and the Palestinians shifted to the murky world of collaborators yesterday, ahead of a US truce mission. In Bethlehem, gunmen from the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, a military offshoot of Yasser Arafat's Fatah movement, shot dead two men suspected of supplying...
Sharon's coalition begins to crumble
Israeli leader's decision to release Arafat sparks far-right revolt while army interrogates hundreds of Palestinians.
Deadly tit-for-tat
Israeli air strikes hit the headquarters of Force 17, Arafat's elite unit, in the West Bank village of Dura Helicopters also fire at the local HQ of Arafat's Fatah in nearby Yatta.
Tables turn as Sharon repeats errors of the past
It is three months since Ariel Sharon laid siege to Yasser Arafat in his Ramallah headquarters. With the violence mounting wildly, who is really besieging whom?
Arafat is a Disaster, But to Blame Him Alone is Perverse
Tony Blair says the Middle East conflict is beyond moral judgment, and yet there are few confrontations that are so black and white in terms of morality. The least he can do is adopt an even-handed approach.
Arafat Needs a New Mandate
A tactical resignation followed by Palestinian elections could provide Yasser Arafat with the political momentum he needs to take the peace process forward, writes Brian Whitaker.
EU Backs Arafat With Call for Poll
EU governments will today consider a proposal for elections to be held in the Palestinian territories as a means of supporting Yasser Arafat and ending the Israeli siege of his headquarters. Amid mounting concern about the widening gap between the US and EU over Middle East policy,...
Sharon's Year of Failure
Comment: Were the talks with Arafat's men a ploy, while Israel prepares to retake the West Bank and Gaza for good, asks Jonathan Freedland.
Sharon 'sorry' He Let Arafat Live
The Israeli prime minister, Ariel Sharon, said today that the Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat, could be a partner in future peace negotiations - but added that he was "sorry" Israel had not killed him when it had the chance. In an interview with the Israeli newspaper Maariv, he said...
Voyage of the arms ship
It is surely only a matter of time before someone makes a film about the raid on Karine A, the arms ship seized by Israeli commandos in the Red sea. With such a large cast of villains, the movie is going to need a big budget: they include Yasser Arafat and the Palestinian Authority,...
Skipper says arms were for Arafat aide
The Palestinian captain of the ship which Israel seized last week said yesterday that its cargo of illicit weapons was intended for the Palestinians and that his smuggling instructions came from a Palestinian Authority official. Israeli commandos seized the 4,000-ton Karine A in the Red...
Arafat vows to make banned trip to Bethlehem
Yasser Arafat will attempt to make his annual Christmas visit to Bethlehem today in defiance of an Israeli ban, Palestinian officials said last night. The Israeli security cabinet decided yesterday, by eight votes to six, to stop the Palestinian leader attending midnight mass in the...
Arafat crackdown sparks clashes
The worst clashes between Palestinians for almost 10 years left at least five dead yesterday and more than 70 wounded after their leader, Yasser Arafat, made a renewed attempt to crack down on the groups responsible for suicide bombings, Hamas and Islamic Jihad. Almost all the casualties...
Sharon breaks off all ties with Arafat
Ariel Sharon took the drastic step of breaking off all ties with Yasser Arafat yesterday, an act that brings a culmination of the 20-year feud between the two closer. With the Palestinians and Israelis now totally pessimistic after the events of the past 48 hours, Mr Sharon described Mr...
US loses patience with Arafat
America exploded in exasperation yesterday at Yasser Arafat's failure to rein in Islamist militants and threatened to abandon its attempts to broker a truce. The warning to the Palestinian leader came hours after the fourth suicide bombing against Israelis in eight days. Soon...
Egypt and US try to save Arafat
Egypt and America rode to the rescue of Yasser Arafat yesterday, embarking on a day of frantic diplomacy to suspend the unrelenting Israeli military and political pressure that many fear could topple the Palestinian leader. As the Egyptian foreign minister, Ahmed Maher, arrived on a visit...
The publication of Yasser Arafat's medical records yesterday failed to offer a clear reason for the cause of his death.
Killing of Arafat's Cousin Triggers Turmoil
The Palestinian leadership was facing a major challenge to its authority in Gaza last night after a former security chief and relative of Yasser Arafat was dragged from his home by dozens of armed men and shot dead.
Former Palestinian Security Chief Assassinated
A former Palestinian security chief who was a cousin of Yasser Arafat was dragged from his Gaza home and shot dead by militants today.
The Hot Seat Awaits Mahmoud Abbas
Simon Tisdall: Britain, the US and moderate Arab countries will begin a concerted drive this week to push Mahmoud Abbas towards a historic post-Arafat compromise with Israel.
Divided People Enjoys a Taste of Freedom
Israeli army eases restrictions to allow voting on Yasser Arafat's successor.
No Way to Die
Yasser Arafat's death last month in a French hospital was shrouded in mystery, accusation and acrimony. While a nation mourned, those nearest to him found themselves struggling for access, battling to find out the truth - and even, after he had died, fighting over his few possessions. Suzanne Goldenberg talks to those closest to the Palestinian leader to piece together the real story of his death.
French to Release Arafat Medical Records
French officials were expected to release the medical records of Yasser Arafat to his nephew today, with Palestinian officials indicating they would make them public.
Palestinian Inquiry Into Arafat's Death
The Palestinian leadership is to send a delegation to Paris in an attempt to establish the cause of Yasser Arafat's death last week amid a growing belief among Palestinians that he was poisoned by Israel.
Arafat Heir Beats Off Fatah 'old Guard'
The man widely expected to succeed Yasser Arafat in next year's Palestinian elections, Mahmoud Abbas, yesterday appeared to win a power struggle in the dominant Fatah movement after a bloody gun battle in Gaza City. The Fatah secretary general in Gaza, Ahmed Hillis, led dozens of armed...
Arafat Laid to Rest in Ramallah
Yasser Arafat was buried in the West Bank amid chaotic scenes today, as thousands of mourners gathered to pay tribute to the man known as the father of the Palestinians. The helicopter bearing Arafat's coffin was forced to delay landing in his Ramallah compound after huge crowds burst...
Chaos Greets Arafat's Coffin
The helicopter bearing Yasser Arafat's coffin touched down in the West Bank amid chaotic scenes today, as thousands of mourners swarmed into the Ramallah compound where the Palestinian leader is to be buried. Huge crowds burst through the gates and climbed over the walls to pay their...
Arab World Honours Arafat
Yasser Arafat's coffin, draped in the Palestinian flag, was borne by an Egyptian guard of honour into a military mosque today for a funeral service attended by presidents and ministers from more than 50 countries. "He has served his people all his life, until he faced his God, with...
Burial Site Prepared As Arafat Clings on
Bulldozers began clearing a site for Yasser Arafat's burial yesterday inside the Ramallah compound that was effectively his prison for the past two years, as France's prime minister, Jean-Pierre Raffarin, said the Palestinian president was in his "final hours". Palestinian political and...
Arafat's Life in 'final Phase'
A senior Palestinian cleric arrived in France today and was rushing to Yasser Arafat's hospital bedside to be with him in the "final phase" of his life, according to a spokeswoman for the Palestinian leader. Taissir Dayut Tamimi, the head of the Islamic court in the occupied territories...
Sharon Rival Backs Down
The Israeli finance minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, yesterday withdrew his threat to resign over the proposed Israeli pullout from Gaza and claimed his about-turn was because of the expected demise of Yasser Arafat. Mr Netanyahu is Mr Sharon's main rival in the Likud party and his departure...
Arafat Close to Death, Say Officials
Palestinian officials said Yasser Arafat was close to death last night after suffering a brain haemorrhage and sinking deeper into a week-long coma. The Palestinian prime minister, Ahmed Qureia, visited Mr Arafat at a Paris military hospital to try to establish the true state of his...
Arafat Death Reports Denied
The fate of Yasser Arafat was mired in confusion today as his foreign minister dismissed reports that the veteran Palestian leader had died at a Paris hospital. Nabil Sha'ath said Mr Arafat was "very much alive" - though several political sources said earlier that he had succumbed to an...
Arafat 'has Only Hours to Live'
The Palestinian caretaker leadership are "counting the hours" to Yasser Arafat's death, after talking to doctors treating him, it was reported today. The Reuters news agency, quoting sources close to the leadership, said the Palestinian prime minister, Ahmed Qureia, and his colleagues...
Arafat's Wife Locks Horns With Leadership
Palestinian leaders arrived in France last night in an attempt to establish the true state of Yasser Arafat's health, despite the objections of his wife, who has accused them of planning to "bury him alive". But doctors at the Percy military hospital in Paris appeared to pre-empt the...
Palestinian Leaders Resume Plan to Visit Arafat
Ahmed Qureia, the Palestinian prime minister, today reversed a decision not to visit Yasser Arafat in hospital and spoke of his "utmost regret" that the ailing leader's wife had charged senior leaders of plotting against him. The caretaker leadership had been scheduled to travel to Paris...
Palestinian Leaders Delay Arafat Visit
The Palestinian leadership today postponed a visit to Yasser Arafat after the leader's wife told them to stay away and accused them of conspiring to "bury him alive". Ahmed Qureia, the Palestinian prime minister, the acting head of the PLO and Fatah, Mahmoud Abbas, and the foreign...
Leaders' Visit Adds to Arafat Confusion
The Palestinian leadership is to travel to Paris today to visit Yasser Arafat, who is gravely ill and possibly on life support, in a French military hospital. Officials said the prime minister, Ahmed Qureia, the acting head of the main Palestinian political organisations, Mahmoud Abbas,...
Israel Rejects Arafat Choice of Burial Site
Even before Yasser Arafat is declared dead, he is at the centre of a dispute over where he will be laid to rest, after Israel refused to allow his burial in the holy city of Jerusalem. The Palestinian leader wishes to be interred at one of the most sacred sites in Islam, Haram as-Sharif,...
Arafat Clings to Life As Switch of Power Begins
Yasser Arafat was fighting for his life in a French hospital last night after repeatedly losing consciousness, but doctors denied reports that he was already dead.
Hospital Denies Arafat is Dead
A spokesman at the military hospital on the outskirts of Paris where Yasser Arafat is a patient today denied reports that the Palestinian leader had died. The spokesman made a brief statement tonight shortly after a report on Israeli television, citing French medical sources, that stated...
Arafat 'in a Coma'
Yasser Arafat has lost consciousness repeatedly in recent hours and there are reports that he has lapsed into a coma. Citing a senior Palestinian official, Reuters said that the frail Palestinian leader had gone into a coma and was in a critical condition. The Associated Press...
Arafat in Intensive Care
Yasser Arafat's condition has suddenly worsened and he is in intensive care undergoing a new round of tests, Palestinian officials in France said today. Israeli media, citing Israeli intelligence officials, said the Palestinian leader had suffered organ failure and was going in and out of...
Ian Black: World Watch
Yasser Arafat has sustained an entire cottage industry of biographers and experts during his long and eventful career, but the book that comes closest to explaining what makes him tick is by the veteran Israeli journalist Danny Rubinstein.
Arafat's Potential Successors Take Control
Yasser Arafat's grip on power appeared to be slipping yesterday after his subordinates assumed control of the major Palestinian organisations at the weekend and some politicians predicted that his domination was at an end. The Palestinian leader's aides portrayed the transfer of powers as...
Frail Arafat Arrives in France
A frail Yasser Arafat arrived in France today for urgent medical treatment, with many of his supporters fearing he will never return to the Palestinian territories. After sunrise the Palestinian leader boarded a Jordanian military helicopter outside his compound in the West Bank town of...
Turmoil Fear As Arafat Leaves for Urgent Treatment
Yasser Arafat is to fly to Paris today for emergency medical treatment, leaving for the first time in more than two years the battered Ramallah compound in which Israel has confined him. Doctors from four Arab countries were yesterday unable to pinpoint what had caused the serious...
Arafat to Be Treated Abroad
An ailing Yasser Arafat is expected to be moved from his West Bank compound to an overseas hospital - possibly in Paris or Jordan - later today, according to Palestinian officials. "It is most likely President Arafat will be transferred abroad for treatment. And it is very likely he will...
Palestinian Officials Rush to Bedside of Ailing Arafat
The Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat, was in a serious condition last night after a sharp deterioration in his health, Palestinian officials said. A three-man emergency committee of Palestinian leaders was rapidly appointed as an ambulance rushed doctors to his Ramallah compound, where...
Arafat 'allowed to Leave Compound'
Israel has agreed to allow the Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat, to leave his compound to receive medical treatment, Israeli media reported tonight. The decision would permit Mr Arafat to leave his compound in Ramallah for the first time in two and a half years and receive attention at a...
Sharon Hints That Arafat May Be Killed
Ariel Sharon has threatened that Yasser Arafat will meet the same fate as Hamas leaders who were assassinated earlier this year by the Israeli military. In ambiguous comments to Israeli newspapers to mark the Jewish new year, the prime minister said he intends to force the Palestinian...
Arafat Sees Off Prime Minister's Challenge
The Palestinian prime minister yesterday withdrew his threat to resign after Yasser Arafat appeared to concede some powers to him over security forces. The move means Mr Arafat has successfully seen off a challenge to his power. Ahmed Qureia threatened to quit almost two weeks ago after...
Arafat Urged to End Corruption After Unrest
Leader forced to sack cousin as security chief after two days.
Don't Blame Arafat
Camp David failed because Israeli hardliners manipulated intelligence. In his memoirs, the former US president Bill Clinton writes that the Camp David summit, of which this month marks the fourth anniversary, was the greatest failure of his career.
Arafat Recognises Jewish State and Limit to Return of Refugees
Yasser Arafat has told an Israeli newspaper that he recognises Israel's right to remain a Jewish state and is, therefore, prepared to accept the return of only a fraction of the Palestinian refugees. In an interview with Ha'aretz, published yesterday, the Palestinian leader was asked if...
Arafat Denounces Us-israeli Gaza Plan
Yasser Arafat today insisted that Palestinian refugees would never give up their right to return to their former homes in the West Bank, in defiance of a new US-Israeli initiative to resolve the Middle East conflict. Mr Arafat spoke one day after President George Bush endorsed a plan that...
Why Was €1m a Month Sent to Arafat's Wife?
France launches inquiry into suspect bank transfers as Israelis say EU money went to help suicide bombers.
Arafat in Crisis Over Fatah Exodus
Hundreds of members of Yasser Arafat's Fatah movement resigned at the weekend in protest at the lack of political reform, corruption and the leadership's failure to challenge the Israeli occupation. The resignations are the latest evidence of a deepening crisis within the organisation...
Plan to Exile or Kill Arafat Abandoned
Ariel Sharon says he has abandoned a threat made by his cabinet barely a month ago to exile or even kill Yasser Arafat.
Arafat Has Suffered Heart Attack, Admits Aide
Officials tried to hide condition of president threatened by Israel.
Gaza shifts to a new solution
He smiles and raises his two fingers in a sign of victory, gazing over the thousands of supporters that have flocked to his side to protect him. Yasser Arafat last week escaped from the political margins thanks to the Israeli government's declaration to 'remove' him on Thursday.
Sidelining of Yasser Arafat raises Palestinian hopes
Supporters of the peace process see the appointment of a Prime Minister as the first step to more honest government and the eventual creation of a Palestinian state.
Pressure Mounts on Sharon to Exile Arafat
Pressure was growing on the Israeli leadership yesterday to take the fateful decision to send Yasser Arafat into exile after the Jerusalem bus bomb that killed 11 people. Washington is continuing to warn Israel against the move and the Israeli prime minister, Ariel Sharon, has said he...
Ex-aide Condemns Arafat's Handling of Intifada
Yasser Arafat has been criticised by his former security chief for failing to grasp the chance to establish an independent state, even on unfavourable terms, and for the attacks on Israeli civilians. Muhammad Dahlan, who resigned last week as Mr Arafat's national security adviser and...
Troops Back in at Arafat Hq
Israeli troops today reoccupied three buildings near Yasser Arafat's headquarters in the West Bank, just two days after ending a siege of his compound.
Puzzle of the Prisoner of Ramallah
Chris McGreal in Ramallah asks what Sharon hopes to gain by keeping Arafat confined.
US in talks rift over Arafat's future role
The United States failed to head off disagreements about the future of Yasser Arafat yesterday at a meeting of the "quartet" of Middle East mediators in New York.
Arafat sacks security chiefs
The embattled Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat, sacked two of his most senior security chiefs yesterday, according to Palestinian officials.
British Minister Snubs Americans With Visit to Arafat
Britain delivered an emphatic snub to the United States president, George Bush, last night by sending one of its foreign ministers to meet the Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat.
Mohammed Dahlan: We'll choose our leaders
As long as the Israelis are against Arafat, I'm with him - whatever my reservations. Far from setting out a vision of peace, President Bush's plan for the Middle East points instead to an American decision to give up on the peace process.
If not Arafat, who?
The Palestinian leader has maintained his power over many years by ensuring that nobody can become strong enough to replace him. Now, with President Bush's call for new leadership, the field is wide open. There are at least five possible runners.
Arafat Approved Reforms Just As Tanks Rolled in
Arafat approved sweeping package of reforms just 48 hours before President Bush declared that the Palestinian leader and his government must go, the Guardian has learned.
One-sided offer that will change nothing
Hours before President Bush delivered his vision for Middle East peace yesterday, Israeli tanks roared up to the headquarters of Yasser Arafat and a sixth Palestinian town fell under Israeli military occupation.
Arafat approves Taba plan too late
The Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat, yesterday belatedly accepted a Middle East peace plan put forward 18 months ago by the then US president, Bill Clinton.
Arafat: Suicide Bombings Must Stop
The Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat, today appealed to his people to stop attacking Israeli civilians, in a message drafted after the second suicide bomb attack in Jerusalem in two days claimed the lives of seven Israelis. Mr Arafat said recent suicide bomb attacks "have given the...
Power struggle that lies behind Arafat's reluctance to crack down on killers
Why Fatah leader decries acts of 'terror' but fails to act. Yasser Arafat's Palestinian Authority has made only a token effort to limit the financial gains for the suicide bombers by stopping pension payments to the families of bombers on its payroll.
Arafat yields to US by slashing cabinet
Yasser Arafat responded to international pressure to reform the Palestinian Authority yesterday by sacking almost half his cabinet.
Tank Raid Leaves Arafat Hq in Ruins
Six-hour wrecking mission flattens national security force compound and puts hole in Palestinian leader's bedroom wall.
Demands for Vengeance After Car Bomber Kills 16
The Israeli prime minister, Ariel Sharon, last night came under intense pressure to reoccupy the entire West Bank and Gaza and expel the Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat, after a Palestinian suicide attacker drove a car bomb into a bus crammed with Israeli soldiers, killing 16 people...
Weakened Arafat left in isolation as factions offer alternative route
Yasser Arafat responded to yesterday's devastating car bomb attack with a swift condemnation of the operation, followed by an defensive insistence that his leadership had no connection with the attack.
Egyptians crackers for Arafat
There is a new accessory for people wanting to demonstrate solidarity with the Palestinian cause: Yasser Arafat cheesy puffs.
Robert Malley and Hussein Agha: Why Barak is wrong
In an interview last week, former Israeli prime minister Ehud Barak laid blamed Yasser Arafat for the breakdown of the peace process. Here, Robert Malley and Hussein Agha counter his claims.
American Leaders Split Over Future of Arafat
A dispute between leading figures in the Bush administration over whether to push for the removal of the Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat, is stalling the peace process, a report in the New York Times claims. While the secretary of state, Colin Powell, and the CIA chief, George Tenet,...
Arafat accused of diverting EU donations
Israelis say money is used to pay for terrorism.
An Opportunity Not to Be Missed
Yasser Arafat has the chance to bring democracy to the Palestinian people and thereby aid their struggle for liberation. He must not let it slip through his fingers, writes Brian Whitaker.
Arafat Agrees to Hold Presidential Elections Within Six Months
Yasser Arafat, the Palestinian leader, has decided to hold presidential and parliamentary elections within six months, Ahmed Abdel Rahman, a senior adviser, said last night. The dramatic move followed a call by the Palestinian parliament earlier in the day for radical reforms, including...
Arafat Admits Errors and Offers Reforms
Under intense pressure at home and abroad, and fighting to resurrect the Palestinian Authority after weeks of Israeli onslaught, Yasser Arafat tried to win over his people yesterday with promises of sweeping reform. He came as close as he has ever come to criticising himself, but blamed...
Arafat says bombers get foreign help
The Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat, yesterday claimed that international powers were supporting Palestinian suicide bombers. But he refused to identify any countries.
Anger As Arafat Shuns Camp
Jenin visit called off during leader's tour of West Bank.
Arafat Denounces Likud Vote
The Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat, today denounced the vote by Israel's Likud party against a Palestinian state before visiting Bethlehem in his first West Bank tour in six months. The vote, taken early this morning, saw the Likud party overwhelmingly reject a Palestinian state "west...
I will die here, says defiant Arafat
The Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat, yesterday vowed to die in the West Bank rather than be forced into exile by the Israeli prime minister, Ariel Sharon.
Policy changes and splits inside administration add to confusion
Although the White House moved yesterday to deny Israel's claims that it had US backing for the removal of Yasser Arafat, the denials did little to clarify President Bush's policy in the Middle East, adrift among disagreements within the administration and a general reluctance to get more deeply involved.
Sharon eyes option of large-scale military offensive
Three options awaited Israel's prime minister, Ariel Sharon, on his return from Washington last night: expulsion of the Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat, a sweeping invasion of the Gaza Strip, or an escalation of the Israeli army's raids on West Bank towns.
US Tells Sharon: Arafat is Leader, Now Negotiate
President George Bush is expected to tell the Israeli prime minister, Ariel Sharon, today that he must accept Yasser Arafat as the legitimate Palestinian leader, despite Israel's claims to have proof of his involvement in terrorism. He will also urge Mr Sharon to curb the building of...
No easy way out of the wreckage for Arafat
In his first steps on his victory tour through the wreckage of Ramallah yesterday, Yasser Arafat embarked on a parallel journey from self-styled "martyr in the making" and symbol of Palestinian resistance to flawed mortal confronting gargantuan challenges.
Victory Leaves a Bitter Taste
Yasser Arafat emerged from his months of confinement behind Israeli tanks and snipers yesterday waving two fingers in a Churchillian salute. To some Palestinians his freedom to roam the streets of Ramallah once again was indeed a victory. He had, they said, survived Israel's latest...
Suzanne Goldenberg: No Easy Way Out of the Wreckage for Arafat
In his first steps on his victory tour through the wreckage of Ramallah yesterday, Yasser Arafat embarked on a parallel journey from self-styled "martyr in the making" and symbol of Palestinian resistance to flawed mortal confronting gargantuan challenges.
Triumphant Arafat Emerges From Besieged Compound
· Sharon maintains Arafat exile threat
· Arab League demands full Israeli withdrawal
· UN to disband Jenin fact-finding group
Arafat is back in business, but Saudis are running the show
Yasser Arafat, the survivor of numerous assassination attempts, a car write-off, a plane crash in the desert and weeks of confinement in the remains of his Ramallah headquarters, appeared to be back in business last night - despite previous Israeli declarations that he is "irrelevant".
Britons in Talks on Jail Transfer to End Arafat Siege
An advance team of British and American experts began talks with Palestinian officials in Ramallah last night to arrange the transfer of six prisoners to joint UK and US custody in return for Israel lifting its month-long siege of Yasser Arafat's headquarters. The British party, an...
UK Monitors to Help End Arafat Siege
British and American officials to travel to Jerusalem to finalise a plan to end the month-long siege of Yasser Arafat's offices in Ramallah.
Arafat jails suspected assassins
Yasser Arafat moved to end his month-long incarceration by putting on trial and sentencing four Palestinian militants.
Three Suspected Informers Killed in Hebron
· Attacks follow killing of militant leader
· Talks begin in Bethlehem
· Arafat to try Israeli minister's assassins
Arafat Siege Goes on As Tanks Pull Out
Israeli tanks and armour yesterday redeployed around the cities of Nablus and Ramallah as Israel's prime minister, Ariel Sharon said the first stage of Israel's offensive had ended.
New Threat to Us Peace Mission
Ariel Sharon threatened yesterday to derail a mission by the US secretary of state to contain the crisis in the Middle East by warning that his troops might storm the ruined headquarters of Yasser Arafat to capture the killers of a far-right cabinet minister.
Six killed by Jenin camp girl bomber
The Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigade, linked to Yasser Arafat's Fatah movement, claims responsibility for suicide attack on busy market in west Jerusalem.
All Smiles for Sharon As Us Turns the Heat on Arafat
US secretary of state Colin Powell's peace mission in the Middle East appeared to stumble at the first hurdle yesterday when US officials postponed today's planned meeting with Yasser Arafat at least until tomorrow after a suicide bomb attack which killed six people. In the aftermath of...
Sharon Defies Calls to End Offensive
Just hours after his soldiers opened fire on Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity, the Israeli prime minister, Ariel Sharon, said this morning he intended to complete his military operation against Yasser Arafat's "regime of terror", a move that directly defies US calls to pull troops out of the West...
Front line life of an Irish peace crusader
Caoimhe Butterly, a young woman who has devoted her life to campaigning against human rights, is trapped inside Yasser Arafat's Ramallah compound.
Sharon tries to destroy all traces of Arafat rule
Two monuments to destruction awaited Palestinians when Ramallah briefly came to life yesterday during the relaxation of the Israeli army curfew:
Onslaught Continues As Arafat Meets Us Envoy
Yasser Arafat's isolation amid the ruin of his headquarters ended yesterday a week after it began with a visit from America's envoy. But the minor diplomatic coup was offset by Israel's relentless assault on the Palestinian towns of the West Bank.
Zinni Meets Arafat
Against a backdrop of continuing gun battles in major West Bank towns, the US envoy to the Middle East, Anthony Zinni, today became the first international representative to meet the Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat, since he was confined to his Ramallah headquarters last week. Mr Arafat...
The president's demands
Arafat: Stop all terrorist activities
Sharon Tells Arafat: You're Free to Go But You're Never Coming Back
Israel's prime minister, Ariel Sharon, stepped up the public humiliation of Yasser Arafat yesterday by offering him a "one-way ticket" into exile. Speaking at an army base in the occupied West Bank, Mr Sharon said he had received calls from world leaders voicing concern about the...
Arafat Siege Continues
Israeli troops today exchanged fire with guards at the office of the Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat. Meanwhile two Palestinian suicide bombers blew themselves up, killing at least 14 people and wounding more than 40 in separate attacks in an Israeli port city and a Jewish West Bank settlement...
I saw the bodies, killed by a shot to the head
Israeli killings: Troops stormed Arafat's men's base - and Palestinians believe that what followed was an execution.
US was told of attack plan
The US secretary of state, Colin Powell, said yesterday that Israel had told Washington in advance of its plans to attack Yasser Arafat's compound and given assurances that it intended to isolate the Palestinian leader, but not to kill or capture him.
Europe insists on Arafat's status as a legitimate authority
As Israel declared Yasser Arafat an enemy and sent tanks crashing into his headquarters yesterday, Europe insisted that he was still a legitimate authority and a partner for peace.
United in bitterness, divided over strategy
Ever since the Intifada erupted in September 2000, there have been two main schools of thought in Israel over the personality and policy of Yasser Arafat.
Beware the Martyr
Yasser Arafat says that the only way General Ariel Sharon will ever lay hands on him is "as the corpse of a martyr".
Sharon Leaves Us Policy in Tatters
Washington was yesterday struggling to salvage its Middle East policy after a series of blows to its credibility and influence at the Arab summit in Beirut. President George Bush's administration had publicly called for Yasser Arafat to be allowed to attend the summit, and US officials...
Sharon Deals Fatal Blow to Saudi Peace Bid
A rare opportunity for reconciliation with the Jewish state was fast disappearing ahead of today's Arab League summit, buried beneath Ariel Sharon's increasingly vitriolic confrontation with Yasser Arafat.
Furious Arafat to Miss Summit
Defiant Palestinian leader refuses to bow to the ever-toughening conditions of Israel's prime minister, Ariel Sharon, for his attendance at today's Arab League summit in Beirut.
Arafat Travel Ban Remains in Place
The Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat, has not yet met Israel's conditions for attending an Arab summit in Beirut but there is still time for him to do so, the Israeli government said today. The Israeli prime minister, Ariel Sharon, wants Mr Arafat to implement a truce on the ground and...
Let Arafat Attend Summit, Us Urges
The US stepped up pressure on Israel yesterday to let Yasser Arafat attend this week's crucial Arab summit in Beirut, which is expected to approve a Middle East peace initiative. The White House spokesman, Ari Fleischer, called on Israel to "give serious consideration" to allowing Mr...
Bomber Rocks Ceasefire Hopes
A suicide bomber allied to Yasser Arafat yesterday delivered a lethal challenge to America's diplomatic strategy for the Middle East, killing two Israelis and wounding dozens more.
Sharon May Lift Arafat Travel Ban
The Israeli prime minister, Ariel Sharon, said today that the travel ban on the Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat, would be lifted if he implemented a US-designed peace plan. Meanwhile, the US vice-president, Dick Cheney, standing next to Mr Sharon at a news conference this morning, said...
'Spies' Lynched As Zinni Flies in
The blood feud between Israel and the Palestinians shifted to the murky world of collaborators yesterday, ahead of a US truce mission. In Bethlehem, gunmen from the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, a military offshoot of Yasser Arafat's Fatah movement, shot dead two men suspected of supplying...
Sharon's coalition begins to crumble
Israeli leader's decision to release Arafat sparks far-right revolt while army interrogates hundreds of Palestinians.
Deadly tit-for-tat
Israeli air strikes hit the headquarters of Force 17, Arafat's elite unit, in the West Bank village of Dura Helicopters also fire at the local HQ of Arafat's Fatah in nearby Yatta.
Tables turn as Sharon repeats errors of the past
It is three months since Ariel Sharon laid siege to Yasser Arafat in his Ramallah headquarters. With the violence mounting wildly, who is really besieging whom?
Arafat is a Disaster, But to Blame Him Alone is Perverse
Tony Blair says the Middle East conflict is beyond moral judgment, and yet there are few confrontations that are so black and white in terms of morality. The least he can do is adopt an even-handed approach.
Arafat Needs a New Mandate
A tactical resignation followed by Palestinian elections could provide Yasser Arafat with the political momentum he needs to take the peace process forward, writes Brian Whitaker.
EU Backs Arafat With Call for Poll
EU governments will today consider a proposal for elections to be held in the Palestinian territories as a means of supporting Yasser Arafat and ending the Israeli siege of his headquarters. Amid mounting concern about the widening gap between the US and EU over Middle East policy,...
Sharon's Year of Failure
Comment: Were the talks with Arafat's men a ploy, while Israel prepares to retake the West Bank and Gaza for good, asks Jonathan Freedland.
Sharon 'sorry' He Let Arafat Live
The Israeli prime minister, Ariel Sharon, said today that the Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat, could be a partner in future peace negotiations - but added that he was "sorry" Israel had not killed him when it had the chance. In an interview with the Israeli newspaper Maariv, he said...
Voyage of the arms ship
It is surely only a matter of time before someone makes a film about the raid on Karine A, the arms ship seized by Israeli commandos in the Red sea. With such a large cast of villains, the movie is going to need a big budget: they include Yasser Arafat and the Palestinian Authority,...
Skipper says arms were for Arafat aide
The Palestinian captain of the ship which Israel seized last week said yesterday that its cargo of illicit weapons was intended for the Palestinians and that his smuggling instructions came from a Palestinian Authority official. Israeli commandos seized the 4,000-ton Karine A in the Red...
Arafat vows to make banned trip to Bethlehem
Yasser Arafat will attempt to make his annual Christmas visit to Bethlehem today in defiance of an Israeli ban, Palestinian officials said last night. The Israeli security cabinet decided yesterday, by eight votes to six, to stop the Palestinian leader attending midnight mass in the...
Arafat crackdown sparks clashes
The worst clashes between Palestinians for almost 10 years left at least five dead yesterday and more than 70 wounded after their leader, Yasser Arafat, made a renewed attempt to crack down on the groups responsible for suicide bombings, Hamas and Islamic Jihad. Almost all the casualties...
Sharon breaks off all ties with Arafat
Ariel Sharon took the drastic step of breaking off all ties with Yasser Arafat yesterday, an act that brings a culmination of the 20-year feud between the two closer. With the Palestinians and Israelis now totally pessimistic after the events of the past 48 hours, Mr Sharon described Mr...
US loses patience with Arafat
America exploded in exasperation yesterday at Yasser Arafat's failure to rein in Islamist militants and threatened to abandon its attempts to broker a truce. The warning to the Palestinian leader came hours after the fourth suicide bombing against Israelis in eight days. Soon...
Egypt and US try to save Arafat
Egypt and America rode to the rescue of Yasser Arafat yesterday, embarking on a day of frantic diplomacy to suspend the unrelenting Israeli military and political pressure that many fear could topple the Palestinian leader. As the Egyptian foreign minister, Ahmed Maher, arrived on a visit...