King Abdullah's warning:
Arafat faces exile

AMMAN — Tensions are said to be increasing between Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat and Jordan's King Abdullah.

Relations between the two men have become strained after Jordan expressed concern about the Palestinian mini-war with Israel and Arafat's refusal to make good on his pledge to coordinate with the kingdom. The war has gone into its eighth month.

Arab diplomatic sources said Abdullah has warned Arafat not to expect Arab support if he refuses international efforts to end the violence and resume peace talks with Israel. The sources said Abdullah has raised the prospect that Arafat would be once again exiled by Israel.

Arafat, the sources said, was given a similar message by Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.

Abdullah and Arafat met in Amman on Tuesday amid reports that the king is concerned that the Palestinian violence will spill into Jordan. Another source of concern is Arafat's plans to increase his profile in the Hashemite kingdom as preparations begin for parliamentary elections later this year.

The sources said Abdullah has told Arafat that he either must impose his authority on his security forces to ensure an end to the fighting with Israel or face a steady erosion of his regime. The king was said to have told Arafat last month that neither Jordan nor any other Arab country has been persuaded by the Palestinian leader's claims that he can't stop the violence.

Abdullah, the sources said, warned Arafat that opponents of the Palestinian leader are using the mini-war to erode the PA and drive him out of Gaza.