Arafat expresses desire to settle back in Tunis

Palestinian sources emphasized to an Arab magazine that Palestinian leader Yaser Arafat had complained in his latest meeting with Egyptian President Mubarak about the dangerous status in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Arafat also fears rising militant confrontations between Jews and Palestinians in the self-rule territories.

Arafat expressed his strong desire to leave the self-rule territories to settle in Cairo or return to Tunisia where the headquarters of the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) exists.

Arafat explained the reason for his desire, saying when Israeli attacks take place, they will attack the headquarters of the Palestinian Authority, and his life will be in a serious danger. That's in addition to his desire to go away from these territories, until comprehensive peace is established.

Arafat also said that his assistants and the Palestinian Authority's members would still stay there, in Gaza Strip, to manage the interior affairs of the self-rule Authority.

Egyptian officials refused his request, and pledged that they would intervene with the Israeli and American governments to obtain some political pledges, attached to Arafat's life and ensure his peace with the Palestinian Authority members.