Palestinian weapons confiscation faces opposition

Palestinian President Yasser Arafat is facing opposition in Ramallah, as Palestinian security forces exchanged gunfire in their attempt to confiscate unlicensed weapons carried by members of Arafat's Fatah movement.

The newly signed Palestinian-Israeli accord calls for confiscation of unlicensed Palestinian weapons and for a reduction in the number of Palestinian police forces.

Meanwhile, in Napoli city a man of religion was arrested after an interview in which he criticized the Palestinian - Israeli agreement.

There is concern that the rights of Palestinian citizens may be affected at a time in which the Palestinian president is working hard to fulfill the new commitments he agreed to under the new agreement, especially concerning security issues.

The Palestinian presidency's secretary-general, El-Tayeb Abdul Rahim, stated that the agreement, reached after difficult and exhausting negotiations, gives the Palestinian Authority a chance to expand its sovereignty to 44% of the West Bank.