Condition for the Palestinian Leader's Exit from His Headquarters in Ramallah - 2002-04-27

According to reports, Ariel Sharon, the Prime Minister of Israel, has stated that he will allow Yasser Arafat, the Palestinian leader, to exit his headquarters in Ramallah, which is surrounded by Israeli forces, but he must come out of the building alone. News reports from Israel indicate that Mr. Sharon made this proposal during a phone call with Colin Powell, the U.S. Secretary of State, on Friday. The reports state that Mr. Sharon will allow Yasser Arafat to go to any point in the West Bank or Gaza Strip, but he must exit the building without the Palestinian militants inside who are being pursued by Israel. Israel accuses these militants of killing the country's tourism minister, Rehavam Ze'evi, last year. The Palestinians have not yet reacted to this proposal. Meanwhile, the Israeli army says its forces have withdrawn from the Palestinian city of Qalqilya. Israeli tanks and soldiers arrested 20 people suspected of militant activities during an incursion into this Palestinian city in the West Bank and its surrounding villages on Friday, killing one of the Palestinian militant leaders. In Ramallah, Israeli forces fired tear gas and threw sound grenades to disperse hundreds of political activists protesting the siege of Yasser Arafat. In Bethlehem, Israeli soldiers injured two Palestinians who had taken refuge in the Church of the Nativity. Four other Palestinians also left the church and surrendered.