Israeli Troops Rehearse Arafat Expulsion
Israeli troops have rehearsed a military operation to expel Palestinian President Yasser Arafat by air to a distant country, an Israeli newspaper said Thursday.

Israeli security sources confirmed to Reuters that a mock operation took place several weeks ago, but did not give details.

Palestinian officials said the report showed Israel's true intentions for exiling the Palestinian leader who was once a partner to peace negotiations and is now largely confined to his battered headquarters in the West Bank city of Ramallah.

``This is an evil idea and just reflects the true intentions of the Israeli government...to destroy the peace process,'' chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat told Reuters.

He urged the international community ``to intervene immediately to reveal exactly what the Israeli government is planning to do.''

The possible expulsion of Arafat was last discussed by the Israeli Cabinet on Sept. 19 at a special session following a suicide attack on a Tel Aviv bus which killed seven people.

Israel holds Arafat responsible for attacks on Israelis in the two-year-old Palestinian uprising for independence. Palestinians deny that their leadership takes an active role in the violence.

Israeli army marksmen continue to surround his compound, largely destroyed in the latest 10-day siege which ended last week.
http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/international/international-mideast-arafat-exile.html