TEL AVIV, Israel, Dec. 25 (UPI) -- Israel will not let Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat leave the West Bank town of Ramallah until he arrests four people who were allegedly involved in the October assassination of Tourism Minister Rehavaam Zeevi.
"The restrictions imposed on Arafat's movements, and his not leaving Ramallah, are designed to pressure him to honor his agreements and undertakings to arrest Zeevi's assassins and planners," the Prime Minister's Media Advisor Raanan Gissin told United Press International Tuesday.
"He'll do (the arrests) -- he'll get out. Won't do, he'll stay there until he does what he has to do," Gissin stated.
Israel prevented Arafat Monday from going to Bethlehem to attend the Midnight Mass in the Church of Nativity. Sharon rejected advice from the United States, Europe, the Vatican and his own Foreign Ministry that he let Arafat go.
Arafat is a Muslim but had attended the Mass since Israel transferred Bethlehem to Palestinian hands in 1995.
The Israelis want Arafat to arrest the head of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine in the West Bank, Ahmad Saadat, who allegedly gave the order to assassinate Minister Zeevi; Sadat's deputy, Jihad Ulmeh who allegedly planned the attack; Hamdi Koran whom Israel says pulled the trigger, and Rasel al-Asmah who helped him.
The four are in Ramallah, an aide to Sharon said. The source noted that several days ago the Palestinian Cabinet's Secretary Abed al-Rahim represented Arafat at a PFLP meeting that discussed its plans.
The aide noted that Saadat was planning more attacks. The Israel Security Agency and police Sunday evening arrested a PFLP militant in Haifa.
