Powell's Meeting With Arafat Portrayed to Critics as a Necessary Evil
Mr. Arafat and the Palestinians also wanted some strong words from Mr. Powell condemning Israel's raids on West Bank towns and camps, especially in Jenin, where Palestinians have accused the Israeli army of conducting a massacre of civilians. "In other words, the Palestinian people are looking to the United States to have the same respect for civilian life on the Israeli side and for the Palestinian side," Mr. Rahman said in a telephone interview. "That would in many ways calm Palestinian and Arab public opinion, because there is a great deal of resentment for this focus on Israeli life, and a neglect of the suffering of the Palestinians."
This morning, at a meeting with aid groups, Mr. Powell called on Israel to "respect international humanitarian principles and to allow full and unimpeded access to humanitarian organizations," and added: "We are particularly concerned at the humanitarian situation in Jenin." At the same time, he announced that the United States was providing millions of dollars in additional relief and reconstruction aid for Palestinians.

Neither Palestinian nor American officials described Mr. Powell's comments as any kind of quid pro quo. But hours later, at about 4 p.m., Secretary Powell received a statement from Mr. Arafat condemning the attack, recommitting himself to American-drafted negotiating proposals and noting Mr. Powell's "presence among us to stop this war." Secretary Powell and his top aides caucused in their hotel here to review the statement.

In the statement, as translated by The Associated Press, Mr. Arafat bitterly criticized Israel, referring to "Israeli escalation, a tighter siege, further occupation of our people, refugee camps, cities, villages and more destruction of our infrastructure."
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/04/14/international/middleeast/14DIPL.html