Arafat in Gaza pledge after Israeli withdrawal

PALESTINIAN President Yasser Arafat has pledged to assert control over the Gaza Strip after an Israeli pull-out and fight militants who break the law, an Israeli newspaper reported yesterday.

Haaretz quoted Mr Arafat as saying in an interview earlier this week that he "definitely" understands Israel must preserve its character as a Jewish state under any future peace deal.

The liberal daily said it was the first time Mr Arafat had made such a comment. But Mr Arafat declined to say how many Palestinian refugees should be allowed to return to what is now Israel in any future peace deal, it said.