Showing clear signs of strain under the unprecedented American pressure for him to crack down on Islamic militants, Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat yesterday castigated the Bush administration for its support of Israel, accused the Israeli media of inciting world opinion against him, and angrily rejected Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's depiction of him as another Osama Bin Laden.
Interviewed on Israeli television, Mr Arafat asserted that he had arrested 17 of the 33 alleged key orchestrators of suicide bombings and other attacks on Israeli targets. When the interviewer reminded him that the Americans consider such arrests to be "TV propaganda," with the detainees likely to be quickly released, the Palestinian leader lost his temper and shouted: "Good God, what do I care about the Americans? The Americans are on your side. Who gives you the planes? The Americans. Who gives you the tanks? The Americans. Who gives you the money? Don't talk to me about the Americans."
Yesterday afternoon, the US peace envoy, Anthony Zinni, had stepped up the pressure on Mr Arafat, delivering a catalogue of American demands to Palestinian security chiefs at a meeting in Tel Aviv. Hosting talks that were attended by top Israeli security officials, Mr Zinni insisted that, apart from arresting, prosecuting and jailing militants, the Palestinian Authority confiscate Hamas weapons, put an end to the smuggling of weaponry into Gaza and the West Bank, deploy forces at hot spots where confrontations with Israeli troops have been frequent, clamp down on anti-Israel incitement in the mosques, and prevent funds reaching the militant groups. American and Israeli officials last night rejected Mr Arafat's claim that 17 of the 33 "most wanted" militants were in Palestinian jails.
In his interview, Mr Arafat declared that the suicide bombers were acting "against the interests of the Palestinian people" and said he was committed to enforcing an Intifada ceasefire and ending the Israeli occupation through negotiation. Asked about new Israeli opinion polls which show most Israelis now support the toppling of his regime or his dispatch into exile, Mr Arafat blamed the Israeli media for inciting against him. He condemned Mr Sharon for the bombing of Palestinian Authority installations, and indicated that he feared Israel would bomb the jails where militants were being held.
Earlier this week Mr Arafat had written to President Bush asking for "a chance" to prove he was mounting a crackdown on Hamas.
Israeli troops shot dead two armed Palestinians near the West Bank settlement of Ariel last night.