IDF troops commandeer building near Muqata ...

[Violet_Crumble]

IDF soldiers in the West Bank city of Ramallah
commandeered the Palestinian Authority Culture
Ministry building, Palestinian sources told Israel
Radio on Thursday morning. the security cabinet prepared
to meet on Thursday to discuss
Israel's response to a recent
wave of terrorism, and a
proposal to exile Arafat from
the territories.

Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom
said before the meeting that a

majority of the cabinet body favored banishing
PA Chairman Yasser Arafat, but that the
decision might be deferred as a result of other
factors, an apparent reference to Washington's
opposition to the step.


<snip>

An opinion poll released on Israel Radio
Thursday said that no more than 38 percent of
the Israeli public favored expelling Arafat at
this time.

The Washington Post reported Thursday that while
administration officials are frustrated by
Arafat's continued ability to thwart peace
moves, "they have also privately warned Israeli
officials not to act on the growing sentiment
in Israel to exile Arafat, believing that
would
unleash anger across the Arab world that would
complicate U.S. efforts to stabilize Iraq."

http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/spages/338449.html