Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat emerged from his West Bank headquarters Thursday, just hours after Israeli troops withdrew from the besieged compound.
The step marked the end of five months of confinement for the Palestinian leader. Greeted by a cheering crowd of hundreds of Palestinians, Arafat flashed V-signs and gave a thumbs up. Aides steadied the 72-year-old Arafat as he walked down a small flight of steps to a waiting motorcade.
Arafat was smiling as the crowd chanted, "With our spirit and our blood, we will redeem you, oh Arafat."
The limousine, accompanied by two cars with security guards hanging out of the windows and their weapons at the ready, sped toward downtown Ramallah, where Arafat visited a hospital. Arafat paused for brief prayers in the hospital parking lot, where several Palestinians killed during Israel's takeover of the town had been buried in makeshift graves. Accompanied by doctors and nurses, Arafat toured the hospital.
Meanwhile, Israel’s Prime Minister, Ariel Sharon said Wednesday that he cannot guarantee that Arafat would be allowed to return to the West Bank if he traveled abroad to consult with Arab leaders.
Sharon told ABC's "Nightline" TV program that the Palestinian leader's international travels often were a sign for a "wave of terror."
Asked in the interview if Arafat would be able to return if he left the country, Sharon said: "We are not giving any guarantees for that.
"We're not asked to give any guarantees, we're not going to give any guarantees, because usually in the past when he left, it was always a sign for a wave of terror," he added. "So if there will be a wave of terror, and if he'll be going around the world inciting ... then we have to consider and discuss what to do."
Earlier, Arafat made his first public appearance since Israel lifted its siege of his office, calling the Israeli army "terrorists."
"It is unacceptable," shouted Arafat, as he spoke in anger about the gun battle and raging fire by Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity early Thursday. "It is unacceptable for the Palestinians, for the Arabs, for the Muslims, for the Christians, for the United Nations, for the United States and for Russia," Arafat stated, concerning the heavy fighting in Bethlehem.
He slammed the Israeli soldiers as "terrorists, Nazis and racists."
"The most important thing is not what is happening next to me but what is going on in the Church of the Nativity," he added.
"I hope that you have heard President Mubarak who is worried like me (over) this barbarian activities from the Israeli army," the Palestinian leader said in English in an interview with CNN.
Arafat said he was committed to the peace agreement he signed with the Israeli Prime Minister, Yitzhak Rabin in 1993.
"I can't forget myself the peace of the brave which I had signed with my partner Rabin, who (was) killed by these fanatic groups who is in power now in Israel," he commented.
Asked if he had given up hope in the peace process, Arafat said, "I believe that if there is a will, there is a way."
Outside Arafat's battered Ramallah offices, up to 1,000 jubilant supporters celebrated Israel's withdrawal. The crowd, most of them carrying rifles, chanted "Victory" and "Palestinian fighters" as they swarmed around the compound. (Albawaba.com)
© 2002 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
