PALESTINIAN officials yesterday said they had resolved a dispute over 17 militants held at gunpoint in Yasser Arafat’s compound, and that the men would not be moving to Jericho as desired by Israel.

Palestinian officials today said they had resolved a dispute over 17 militants held at gunpoint in Yasser Arafat’s compound, and that the men would not be moving to Jericho as desired by Israel.

Palestinian prime minister-designate Mahmoud Abbas arrived at Yasser Arafat’s West Bank headquarters this afternoon – signalling a possible end to a deadlock over the composition of the Palestinian Cabinet.

Israeli premier Ariel Sharon today escaped fierce domestic criticism for the bungled 10 day siege of Yasser Arafat’s compound, which was aborted under intense US pressure.

The Israeli government today decided to withdraw its forces from inside Yasser Arafat’s compound, but the siege will continue from a short distance away, Israeli radios reported.

ISRAELI troops demolished three houses of Palestinian terror suspects yesterday, while Jewish settler leaders inaugurated a new Jewish settlement near the Palestinian city of Nablus.

ISRAELI forces killed nine Palestinians in a raid in the Gaza Strip yesterday.

YASSER ARAFAT yesterday ejected Israel's demand that he provide a list of everyone holed up with him in his besieged office, a Palestinian negotiator said.

REVOLUTIONARY tourist, left-wing crustie, noble-minded philantropist or adrenalin junkie, whatever way you look at it, there’s a certain breed of Irishman making his name abroad.

A senior Israeli official believes a jailed Palestinian terrorist leader directed yesterday's suicide bombing at Netanya from his cell.

George W Bush says the Israeli-Palestinian deal to end the siege of Yasser Arafat's compound marks a "hopeful day" in the Middle East crisis.

Israeli attack helicopters have fired rockets at the Palestinian police headquarters in Gaza City.