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Palestinian President Yasser Arafat talks to members of his staff in his Ramallah headquarters March 30, 2002. Arafat asked to end what he called Israel's assault on his people.
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Israeli troops rounded up hundreds of Palestinian men for questioning, battled gunmen and imposed a curfew in the West Bank's main city today. Yasser Arafat was trapped up in his office without power or water, surrounded by Israeli troops and trying to keep up his staff's morale, aides and witnesses said.
Israel's military offensive, launched yesterday, will last as long as it takes "to guarantee the safety of our homes," Defense Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer told Israeli television. Eleven Palestinians and two Israelis have been killed in the two days of fighting in Ramallah.
Two Palestinians heading into Israel allegedly to conduct a suicide attack fought a gunbattle with Israeli police at the edge of the West Bank. An Israeli officer and the two Palestinians were killed.
In a statement the US President, George Bush said that Arafat "can do a lot more" to prevent terrorist attacks but maintained that he respects Israel's right to defend itself. Earlier, the United States supported a UN Security Council resolution that called on Israel to withdraw from Palestinian cities, including Ramallah.
European nations criticised Israel, calling on it to implement the resolution, while angry protests broke out in several Arab nations. At the same time, Israel's tense northern border with Lebanon flared up. Hezbollah guerrillas fired rockets and mortar shells at Israeli outposts in a disputed border area, and Israeli warplanes responded with strikes on suspected Hezbollah positions in south Lebanon.
Israel is expected to broaden its offensive in Palestinian-controlled areas in coming days, and the military was in action on two other fronts today.
Tanks rumbled into the Palestinian town of Beit Jalla, just south of Jerusalem and next to biblical Bethlehem, where Christians are observing Easter weekend. Many Christian residents in Beit Jalla complained that the incursion kept churches closed and forced the cancellation of festivities.
Tanks also entered the town of Beituniya, outside Ramallah, surrounding the military compound of West Bank security chief Jibril Rajoub.
In response to the UN resolution, Israel said it had no interest in remaining in Ramallah or any other Palestinian cities, but was forced to carry out the military strikes "because the Palestinians are launching terrorism against our citizens, rather than eradicating terrorism and implementing a cease-fire."
This evening, Palestinian officials said Israel informed them that its forces would enter the office building later in the day to arrest wanted Palestinians they believe to be hiding there. The Israeli military had no immediate comment.
"For the time being, Arafat had use of all floors in the building, which from time to time came under heavy Israeli machine gun fire", said Adam Shapiro, an American volunteer medic who spent 24 hours in the compound, leaving late Saturday.
Shapiro, 30, of New York City, said there was no electricity and water, and that food and medical supplies were running low. He said he had a simple breakfast of bread and cheese with Arafat and several of his aides, and that the Palestinian leader was trying to keep up the morale of those around him.
Israeli officials said they did not intentionally cut off utilities.
Arafat has been speaking by mobile phone with foreign leaders and the media, though it was not clear how long he would be able to communicate - he has been using a mobile phone dependent on a battery that needs recharging.
Some members of Sharon's Cabinet wanted to expel the Palestinian leader from the region, but were convinced not to by senior military leaders who warned it would be counterproductive, Defense Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer told Israel television.
Ben-Eliezer suggested Sharon was among those favoring expulsion. ``To my joy, all members of the defense establishment ... explained to the government that this could cause the exact opposite of what we expect. Therefore, I was happy the Cabinet accepted the proposal not to expel him.''
Israel did declare Arafat an "enemy" and said he would be completely isolated.
Israeli forces in Ramallah fired rockets at a high-rise building, forcing 15 Palestinian gunmen inside to surrender. Several of the gunmen were taken out injured and put in an armored Israeli medical vehicle.
The Israeli military sealed off Ramallah, barring journalists from entering. Journalists who were in Ramallah before the Israeli operation began have been able to work in the city.
Palestinian witnesses said Israeli forces moving through the streets of Ramallah with loudspeakers demanded that all males between the ages of 14 and 40 come out of their homes and report to a school. More than 500 Palestinian men assembled in the yard and were blindfolded and had their hands tied behind their backs. Some were being put on a truck and driven away. The army chased away journalists who arrived at the scene.
The military said it has arrested a total of 145 suspected Palestinian militants during the two-day operation, including more than 60 who were detained Friday in Arafat's compound. It denied carrying out mass detentions despite multiple witness accounts by journalists. In previous raids of West Bank towns, Israeli troops rounded up more than 1,000 Palestinians in a similar fashion.
Israeli troops also entered the offices of the Voice of Palestine radio and forced it to stop broadcasting, said Yousef Qazaz, the general manager of the radio. Military sources confirmed the report.
AP