Arafat feared retaliation, fled to Ankara

GAZA — Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat has fled Gaza amid concern of an Israeli attack in retaliation for the Palestinian killing of eight Israelis.

Palestinian sources said Arafat left on an unannounced trip to Ankara hours after a Palestinian rammed an Israeli bus into a hitchhiking station near Tel Aviv. Eight people, all but one soldiers, were killed. Another 18 were injured.

The sources said Arafat called government leaders in Ankara and appealed for urgent talks. The Turkish leaders agreed and Arafat quickly left for Ankara.

"Turkish government has, on a request by Palestinian President Yasser Arafat, intensified its efforts to find a suitable solution to the problem," Turkish Foreign Minister Ismail Cem said.

Palestinian sources said Arafat has expressed fear that he has become the target of Israeli assassins. The sources said Arafat cut short a visit to Tunis earlier this week out of such concern. Arafat was expected to leave Ankara Thursday morning.

The sources said Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak has urged Western countries to boycott Arafat amid what Barak termed his support of terrorist attacks against Israel.

Israel and Turkey are regarded as strategic allies in the region.

Arafat's arrival came as Israeli Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Shaul Mofaz delayed a visit to Ankara, where he was to hold defense cooperation talks with his Turkish counterpart in Ankara.

Mofaz said Israel would impose new limitations on the Palestinians and the PA leadership. Other measures include a total closure of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, including the Gaza airport and border terminals.

Israel has blamed Arafat for the Palestinian killing. He was quoted on PA radio as terming the killing of eight Israelis by a Palestinian bus driver as "an ordinary event and not terrorism. The driver was arrested and his crime will be investigated."

But military sources said Israel would not immediately retaliate against the PA leadership. "Arafat assumes full responsibility for what has happened," Israeli President Moshe Katsav said. "We can't tolerate this."

For his part, Arafat blamed Israel for the Palestinian attack. The PA chairman and his aides accused Israel of escalating the violence and using nerve gas against the Palestinians.

The driver of the commuter bus was identified as Ala Khalil Abu Alba, 35, from Gaza City. A driver for five years for the Israeli bus cooperative Egged, Abu Alba was said to have been in failing health.

On Thursday, a PA security officer was killed in a clash with Israeli forces near the Gaza settlement of Kfar Darom. Others clashes were reported near the southern Jewish settlement of Morag, Netsarim and near the Egyptian border.