RAMALLAH Ñ Under U.S. pressure, Israel has halted the demolition of
the Palestinian Authority headquarters where Yasser Arafat is based.
Israeli officials said the military was ordered to suspend operations in
the PA compound in Ramallah on Sunday after U.S. officials relayed a series
of appeals that called for a halt to the demolitions. One of the messages
was relayed by U.S. ambassador in Tel Aviv Daniel Kurtzer.
"Israeli actions in and around the Mukata'a are not helpful in reducing
terrorist violence or promoting Palestinian reforms," White House
spokeswoman Jeanie Mamo said, referring to the PA complex in Ramallah.
By late Sunday, Israeli military bulldozers were pulled out of the
compound. An Israeli military spokesman said the demolition of most of the
buildings in the compound had ended.
Israeli officials reiterated that they do not plan to harm Arafat. But
they demanded that Arafat's aides submit a list of all those who have sought
haven in his compound.
"This man [Arafat] is finished," Israeli Environment Minister Tsahi
Hanegbi said. "He will go this month or next month."
For his part, Arafat has refused to surrender any of the Palestinians
demanded by Israel. Palestinian sources said Arafat will also reject any
proposal for him to leave the West Bank into exile.
"They destroyed everything," Arafat's aide Hani Al Hassan said. "They
have nothing more to destroy. The only thing they didn't destroy is the
building where Arafat is in. They are not doing that because that's not
allowed internationally."
