Palestinian President Yasser Arafat is due to deliver a speech today in which he is expected to call for an end to armed conflict with the Israelis in a Palestinian uprising, a senior official said.
"There will be a reiteration of fighting terrorism and a call to halt military operations," the senior Palestinian official said of Arafat's speech, due to be broadcast by Palestinian media at 6 p.m. local time (4 p.m. Irish time).
He said the Palestinian leader would also concentrate on the fact that the Palestinian Authority is solely in control in Palestinian-ruled areas of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, and this authority respects its commitments.
Arafat faces growing international pressure to rein in Palestinian militants fighting in the uprising against Israeli occupation which erupted in September 2000 shortly after peace talks stalled.
Palestinian officials said Arafat was also determined to confront militant groups like the popular Hamas movement which have threatened his hold on Palestinian-ruled parts of the West Bank and Gaza Strip.