Israeli Troops Call Upon Arafat to Surrender

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Sunday, March 31, 2002

Israeli Troops Call Upon Arafat to Surrender

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The Palestinian Force 17, the special brigade to protect Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, said on Saturday that Israeli troops were calling upon Arafat and his bodyguards by loudspeakers either to surrender or they would break in.

Officers of Force 17 told Xinhua that Israeli troops are a few meters away from Arafat's office.

Arafat, who has been disconnected from the outside world since Friday, spoke on the private wireless to Force 17 Saturday night, telling them that they (Israeli troops) are calling at us either to surrender or they will break in.

Palestinian Force 17 officers said that Arafat, who is holding a gun, agreed with his bodyguards that they would never surrender, and told them that he decided to fight together with them if Israeli soldiers break into his office.

Palestinian Information Minister Yasser Abed Rabbo said that special Israeli troops are standing a few meters away from the door of Arafat's office, and are preparing to break into the office.

Abed Rabbo urged Arab and world leaders to do something to rescue Arafat, saying that "Arafat is in a real and serious danger."

Arafat managed to speak to the Qatar-based Al-Jazeera satellite TV channel for a few seconds. He said with a suffocated voice "here they are preparing to attack. Here they are warning us by loudspeakers to surrender."

Arafat Urges International Community to Stop Israeli Aggression

Palestinian National Authority (PNA) Chairman Yasser Arafat on Saturday urged the international community to help stop the Israeli aggression on the Palestinian people.

The Palestinian leader made the call at a news briefing following a meeting with a Palestinian Crescent Society delegation and a European medical team, who delivered medicines and other necessities to Arafat.

"I urge the international community to help halt this continued Israeli military escalation and killings against the Palestinian people," Arafat told the gathering at his Ramallah compound savagedand still being surrounded by Israeli tanks.

"Is it reasonable for Palestinian women to give birth at Israeliroadblocks?" asked Arafat.

But he is confident that "the brave Palestinian people can standagainst this Israeli racism, terrorism and aggression, even if Israeli troops use all types of U.S. weapons."

Arafat thanked the two delegations for the visit which came in solidarity with the Palestinian people under the current circumstances.

Israeli troops, who seized Arafat's residence in the West Bank City of Ramallah earlier in the day, have cut the residence's water, electricity and all means of communications except his mobile phone.

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