I’ll take on the militants, vows Arafat

Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat has insisted he will not shy away from a confrontation with the militant Hamas and Islamic Jihad groups to revive what hope remains for peace in the Middle East.

Speaking from his headquarters in the West Bank city of Ramallah, Arafat said the Palestinian police had already arrested 17 key militants out of a list of 33 presented to him by American officials, and says he will continue pursuing the rest despite the continuing Israeli air strikes.