A month-long siege of Yasser Arafat's West Bank headquarters appeared to be nearing an end on Monday after Israel and the Palestinians accepted a compromise proposed by US President Bush.
But Israel dug in its heels over a UN fact-finding mission to the ruined Jenin refugee camp and talks with Palestinians failed to end a standoff at Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity.
President Bush said the deal to end Arafat's siege marked "a hopeful day for the region."
"Chairman Arafat is now free to move around and free to lead and we expect him to do so," he told reporters at his ranch.
"Mr. Arafat must perform. Mr. Arafat must do his job (by halting Palestinian attacks on Israelis). He must earn my respect by leading."
The UN Security Council began talks to discuss its response to Israel's latest request for a delay to the UN fact-finding team on Jenin waiting in Geneva since Wednesday.
Foreign Minister Shimon Peres again said Israel had nothing to hide at the camp, but was concerned at possible legal implications for Israeli witnesses who might testify.
"We can't tell our soldiers: 'You volunteer, you fight, on top of that you have to take lawyers'," he said late on Sunday.
Palestinian leaders said talks with United States and British experts would start later on Monday to work out the details of Bush's plan to restore Arafat's freedom of movement.
The proposal calls for Israeli forces to leave Arafat's compound in the city of Ramallah and let him travel anywhere once six wanted men are moved to a Palestinian prison where they will be guarded by US and British wardens.
The men include the assassins of Israeli tourism minister Rehavam Zeevi. Peres said the men would be moved to a special camp under the deal which, he added, "will give freedom of movement to Chairman Arafat and allow us to leave Ramallah."
Israeli tanks have ringed Arafat's compound since the start of a West Bank offensive launched by Prime Minister Ariel Sharon on March 29 after suicide attacks killed scores of Israelis.
The Israeli cabinet decision to approve Bush's plan and delay the UN mission followed an attack on a Jewish settlement in the West Bank in which four Israelis were killed on Saturday.
(China Daily April 29, 2002)
