Arafat Leaves Ramallah on Tour

RAMALLAH, West Bank —  Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat left Ramallah today for the first time since Israel confined him to the city six months ago.

At the helipad in his headquarters, Arafat climbed into a Jordanian air force helicopter that was to fly him to three of the hardest-hit areas in Israel’s six-week West Bank military offensive: Bethlehem, the battle-scarred Jenin refugee camp and the city of Nablus.

Before boarding the helicopter, Arafat denounced a decision by Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s Likud Party to oppose the creation of a Palestinian state, despite Sharon’s request that a vote be delayed. “This is the destruction of the Oslo agreement,” Arafat said of the vote.

In Bethlehem, Arafat was greeted by local Palestinian officials and a band.

He kissed officials, Muslim clerics and Christian priests on the cheek.

Ringed by beefy security men, Arafat smiled broadly as those he greeted clasped his face joyfully.

Arafat last left the Palestinian territories Nov. 25. In early December, his helicopters were destroyed in Israeli air strikes, in effect stranding him in Ramallah.

Israel said at the time that it wanted to pressure Arafat to rein in Palestinian militants. Israel gradually tightened the confinement, and for 34 days, starting March 29, restricted him to a few rooms in his headquarters while soldiers besieged the compound.

Israel lifted the travel restrictions on Arafat as part of a U.S.-brokered agreement.