Arafat leaves headquarters for the first time in months

Yasser Arafat has left his West Bank headquarters after Israeli troops withdrew from the besieged compound.

It is the first time he has left the compound in five months.

Greeted by a cheering crowd of hundreds of Palestinians, Arafat flashed victory signs and gave a thumbs up.

Aides steadied the 72-year-old as he walked down a small flight of steps to a waiting motorcade.

Arafat smiled as the crowd chanted: "With our spirit and our blood, we will redeem you, oh Arafat."

Israel had restricted Arafat's movement since December 3, when it destroyed his helicopters in air strikes, in effect grounding him in the West Bank town of Ramallah.

The restrictions then became increasingly severe, with Arafat confined to his compound since January and to a few rooms since March 29, the start of the Israeli military offensive.

Arafat was released from confinement late on Wednesday in a US-brokered deal that included the transfer of six wanted men in his compound to a West Bank prison where they will be jailed under British and US supervision.

Israel had initially demanded that the six, including the four assassins of an Israeli Cabinet minister, be extradited.