Hyperlink: http://www.menewsline.com/stories/2001/september/09_13_5.html

FOR ISRAEL, THIS IS ARAFAT'S LAST CHANCE

JERUSALEM [MENL] -- Israel has sent a message to Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat that officials said mark his last chance to end the war against the Jewish state.

Officials said the message was relayed on late Tuesday from Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to Arafat, who was in his Gaza headquarters. They said the message urged Arafat to join the Western effort against international terrorism and demonstrate his commitment to peace.

The message did not contain any threat, the officials said. But they said the underlying tone was that Israel would not longer tolerate Arafat-sponsored attacks against Israel.

"There was no ultimatum," an official said. "But from Arafat's point of view, this is his last chance to end the war and return to peace talks. If he doesn't do it this time, then there's nothing left to say."

The officials said Sharon was not threatening to launch a massive attack against the PA. But the Israeli attacks would turn increasingly lethal and target leaders of the Palestinian insurgency.

On Wednesday, Palestinian sources said 10 Palestinians were killed in fighting around the West Bank city of Jenin. The sources said six of the 10 were local insurgency commanders from the Fatah movement headed by Arafat as well as from the Islamic Jihad.

On late Wednesday, an Israeli motorist was killed in a Palestinian ambush near the West Bank city of Tulkarm.

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-- Robert Riggs (rxr.999@worldnet.att.net), September 12, 2001