Arafat has not decided whether to seek re-election

Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat said today he had no immediate plans to step down from power, but at the same time said he has not decided whether to run in January elections.

‘‘It is not only up to me. It will be up to many people,’’ Arafat said in his Ramallah compound where he has been penned up for months, guarded by Israeli tanks and soldiers.