Arafat 'will be sidelined by his own people in six months'
Arafat's authority has been shaken by US calls for his removal after 21 months of Middle East conflict, Israel's reoccupation of West Bank cities following Palestinian suicide bombings and dissent over his removal of a powerful security chief last week.
The Ha'aretz newspaper quoted a senior military source as saying the top brass now believed that Arafat's authority had declined to such an extent that there was no need for it to try to force him out of power. If officially confirmed, the report would signal a change of tack by the army, whose chief of staff has advocated ousting Arafat in recent months.
