Arafat criticizes lack of Arab unity - gets 10 million from Egypt

Egypt pressed ahead with its efforts to ease the plight of the Palestinian Authority, suffering from a blockade palced by Israel on the self-rule territories. President Hosni Mubarak sent an "emergency grant" of 10 million US dollars to help the Palestinian Authority (PA) deal with the financial crisis resulting from the Israeli sanctions.

Foreign Minister Amr Moussa denied Arafat's fierce criticism about the lack of solidarity shown by Arab states toward the Palestinians. Egypt's "solidarity is assured, and the decision to make the grant was taken two days ago, before Arafat made his remarks," he added.

According to a Palestinian source, Mubarak and Arafat discussed the situation last week by long-distance telephone.

Visiting Cairo last week were Arafat's spokesman and Nabeel Shaath, the PA's minister of planning and international cooperation. Both met Moussa for discussions on the current deadlock.

Shaath said US Secretary of State Albright's visit should not be conditional on the Palestinians accepting the Israeli demand to round up scores of Islamist militants.

"Security cooperation is stipulated in the interim agreements," he added. According to the agreements, the PA should exchange information with the Israeli side and undermine any militant operation targeting Israel or the PA and punish those involved.