Powell lashes out at Arafat

US Secretary of State Colin Powell today blamed Yasser Arafat for blocking US efforts to make Palestinian security forces strong enough to end terror attacks on Israel.

Winding up his latest effort to push peacemaking forward, without any apparent concrete results, Powell also criticised Arafat for a statement the Palestinian leader made Saturday to his people urging them to “find whatever strength you have to terrorise your enemy”.