Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat on Sunday called for an end to Palestinian suicide bombings against Israel, and said all "terrorist activities" by Palestinian militants must cease.
In a televised speech to mark the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr, Arafat also said Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon had "declared war" on the Palestinian Authority and insisted that the Palestinians must have a state in the West Bank and Gaza with Jerusalem as its capital.
Palestinian attacks gave Israel an excuse to escalate the violence, he said.
"Today, I am reiterating my call for a comprehensive cessation to all the armed activities... I call for a complete stop to all activities, especially the suicide attacks that we condemn always," he said. "We declared the state of emergency and we have implemented a series of arrangements... including declaring illegal all forms (groups) which are committing terrorist activities," he said.
Arafat added that Palestinian mortar attacks against Israel should also cease.
Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres said Israel "cannot judge by words or speeches. We have to try to follow the coming few days... to see what's being done, not just what's being said." Sharon spokesman Raanan Gissin noted there was no violence Sunday. "When Arafat wants there can be complete quiet," he said.
Israel's Cabinet declared Arafat "irrelevant" after a deadly Palestinian attack on an Israeli bus near a West Bank settlement last week. Israel has dismissed his efforts against the militants as insufficient and insincere, and he has come under US and European pressure to take dramatic action.
Bureau Report