Arafat welcomes call for immediate ceasefire

Yasser Arafat today said he welcomes a US-backed call for an immediate ceasefire with Israel, but stopped short of committing to steps the Palestinians would be required to take ahead of such a truce.

In a speech marking the anniversary of the 1965 founding of his Fatah group, Arafat also suggested growing tensions over Iraq could make the Palestinians more vulnerable to Israeli military offensives.