Arafat calls for Olympic ceasefire

Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat today called for a ceasefire with Israel during the upcoming Olympic games in Greece, but Israel dismissed the offer as insincere.

Arafat issued the call at a lighting ceremony for a symbolic Olympic torch at his headquarters in the West Bank town of Ramallah.

Israel, which accuses Arafat of supporting attacks on its people, has confined the Palestinian leader to the compound for more than two years.

“On the occasion of lighting the Palestinian Olympic torch, I declare our respect and commitment for an Olympic truce, which I signed in my besieged office,” Arafat said.

“We hope that the revival of the ancient and noble Greek tradition will help in creating a world that enjoys peace, justice and security for the coming generations,” he said.

The Olympics are scheduled to take place in Athens from Aug 13-29.

Egyptian mediators have been trying to persuade Palestinian militants to halt attacks on Israelis as Israel prepares to pull out of the Gaza Strip.

Israel, which refuses to negotiate with Arafat, has asked Egypt to help guarantee security in Gaza following the pullout, which is scheduled to be completed by September 2005. It has resisted calls from Egypt to halt military strikes in Gaza.

A senior Israeli official dismissed Arafat’s offer. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, accused Arafat of being behind the killings of Israeli athletes during the 1972 Munich Olympics.

“Arafat’s Olympic torch is a torch of death. There is a big difference between what Arafat says and what he does,” the official said.

Palestinian officials said the ceremony lighting the “sport torch” symbolised relations between the Palestinian and Greek people.

Arafat was joined at the ceremony by the Greek consul general to Jerusalem, Helena Sourani, and Sofia Sakorafa, a former world-class javelin thrower for Greece, who hopes to represent the Palestinians at the Olympics.

Palestinian officials have said they plan on sending a swimmer, two runners and a boxer to the Olympics.