Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat said today that the Palestinians were ready to work for an immediate cease-fire with Israel, but he stopped short of declaring a truce in the Mideast conflict.
Mr Arafat, speaking at a news conference in his West Bank headquarters of Ramallah, also said the Israelis were planning a major military operation against the Palestinians. The Israelis have warned they are prepared to retaliate for a suicide bombing yesterday that killed 20 people at a seafront hotel.
Mr Arafat said the Palestinians had informed US envoy Gen. Anthony Zinni of "our readiness to work on a cease-fire, an immediate cease-fire." Mr Zinni has been attempting to arrange a truce for the past two weeks.
"Unfortunately, there are some aggressive preparations by the Israelis to do a wide military operation against our civilians, our cities and our refugee camps," Mr Arafat said.
He said Israeli military action would undermine a peace initiative approved Thursday at the Arab summit, which calls for Arab states to normalize relations with Israel if it withdraws from land captured during the 1967 Mideast war.
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's Cabinet was to meet later tonight to consider its response to yesterday's suicide bombing, which targeted people gathered for a Passover feast in the Mediterranean town of Netanya.
AP