Lifting a nearly 25-year veil of secrecy, Israel acknowledged today that it killed the deputy of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat in a 1988 seaborne raid in Tunisia.

Israel’s vice premier today ruled out any chance of reaching an agreement with the Palestinians, saying Israel would have to unilaterally define its borders, dismantle some settlements and withdraw from most of the West Bank, Gaza Strip and parts of east Jerusalem.

Truce talks with Palestinian militants are going well, Yasser Arafat said today, adding that the Islamic Jihad group is ready to declare a ceasefire now and that Hamas is sending positive signals.