Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat on Wednesday called for an "urgent international action" to end the worsening Middle East crisis, saying that the mediation launched by United States Secretary of State Colin Powell is to wrap up without results.
"No clarification is on the horizon one and a week after the beginning of the mission of Powell," Arafat deplored during an interview broadcast at TV 7, one of Tunisia's major public televisions.
He reaffirmed the necessity of "an urgent action at Arab and international level" facing the aggravating danger of the situation in the Palestinian occupied territories.
Arafat, besieged in his headquarters in West Bank city Ramallahby Israeli forces since December 3, said his being blocked is "a siege imposed on the Palestinian people."
He also denounced the aggression by Israeli army at Muslim and Catholic sites in Palestinian territories and condemned Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon as a person of "bloodthirsty" character.
(Xinhua News Agency April 18, 2002)
