Arafat resumes criticism of Israeli policy

Palestinian President Yasser Arafat resumed today his severe criticism of Israeli settlement in the occupied territories, saying that the settlements threaten the peace process in the Middle East and urging an immediate halt to Israeli settlement in the Palestinian lands. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak gave a two-day period of time for demolishing the illegal settlements which he specified and asked the settlers to leave them, warning that the Israeli security forces will intervene if this order is not implemented.