Contrary to popular opinion, Israel\'s siege around Yasser Arafat has not sent his popularity skyrocketing among his own people. The new IDF Intelligence Chief, Maj.-Gen. Aharon Ze\'evi (Farkash), told yesterday\'s Cabinet meeting that not only has Arafat\'s standing in the international community fallen to an unprecedented low, but his popularity at home has also dropped steadily. Ze\'evi said that Arafat is responsible for the current wave of terrorism in that he refuses to change his strategic outlook. Arafat, according to Ze\'evi, continues to adhere to the goals of a Palestinian state on all of Judea, Samaria, and Gaza, including all of eastern Jerusalem, as well as the \"right of return\" for the Arabs who left Israel in 1948.
Despite his oft-stated claims that the PA had nothing to do with the Karin-A weapons ship and its 50 tons of heavy armaments bound for PA areas, Arafat yesterday took a measure of disciplinary action against those involved. He ordered the firing and arrest of the Deputy Chief of Naval Police, as well as the arrest of the Military Financial Administration\'s Fuad Shobaky and another official.
Despite his oft-stated claims that the PA had nothing to do with the Karin-A weapons ship and its 50 tons of heavy armaments bound for PA areas, Arafat yesterday took a measure of disciplinary action against those involved. He ordered the firing and arrest of the Deputy Chief of Naval Police, as well as the arrest of the Military Financial Administration\'s Fuad Shobaky and another official.