Arafat, Under Pressure, Calls for Wide Changes in Government
"I call for a review of all our administrative, ministerial and security forces," Mr. Arafat told the lawmakers in a 40-minute speech shown live on television.

"Allow me to propose to you the speedy preparation of elections and to implement whatever is possible," he said.

Mr. Arafat acknowledged that he had made mistakes, but put most of the blame on Israel for the current crisis. He attacked Israel's use of force to try to quell the 19-month-old Palestinian uprising, but said the struggle for an independent Palestinian state would continue and that peace remained his goal.

"Our dream is real freedom and complete independence in the state of Palestine with Jerusalem as the capital," he said. "Whoever likes it or not, it is our aim to have that."
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/05/15/international/15CND-ISRA.html