The siege around Yasser Arafat has ended. Just about 100 days ago, after consecutive Arab suicide attacks in Jerusalem and Haifa killed 11 and 15 people, respectively, the IDF bombed Arafat\'s Gaza headquarters and stationed tanks around his Ramallah complex to prevent him from leaving. This afternoon, however, the Prime Minister\'s Office announced that following the PA\'s arrest of the assassins of Minister Rehavam Ze\'evi, the army would no longer restrict Arafat\'s movements within Judea, Samaria, and Gaza. Sharon explained today, \"This is not capitulation or a cave-in, but rather a capitalization on the fact that we stood fast for a very long period, even in the face of very strong pressures.\"
Labor Party leader Defense Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer took credit for the decision, saying today, \"I\'m happy that Arafat will be able to go free, I\'m happy that the outcry I raised in the past months on this matter found an attentive ear.\" Ben-Eliezer, who visited wounded terrorism victims at Hadassah Ein Karem Hospital in Jerusalem this afternoon, was asked why Arafat was being allowed to leave Ramallah in the face of the continued terrorism. Ben-Eliezer\'s response:
\"The government of Israel is showing that it has credibility: We said that after the murderers [of Ze\'evi] are arrested, we would let Arafat go - and so that is what we are doing.\" Arutz-7\'s Haggai Segal noted, however, that the original government demand was for the transfer of the murderers to Israel for trial. On Jan. 7, for instance, during an address to American Jewish leaders in Jerusalem, Prime Minister Sharon announced that Yasser Arafat would remain in Ramallah until he turns over the murderers of Minister Rechavam (Gandhi) Ze\'evi.
Labor Party leader Defense Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer took credit for the decision, saying today, \"I\'m happy that Arafat will be able to go free, I\'m happy that the outcry I raised in the past months on this matter found an attentive ear.\" Ben-Eliezer, who visited wounded terrorism victims at Hadassah Ein Karem Hospital in Jerusalem this afternoon, was asked why Arafat was being allowed to leave Ramallah in the face of the continued terrorism. Ben-Eliezer\'s response:
\"The government of Israel is showing that it has credibility: We said that after the murderers [of Ze\'evi] are arrested, we would let Arafat go - and so that is what we are doing.\" Arutz-7\'s Haggai Segal noted, however, that the original government demand was for the transfer of the murderers to Israel for trial. On Jan. 7, for instance, during an address to American Jewish leaders in Jerusalem, Prime Minister Sharon announced that Yasser Arafat would remain in Ramallah until he turns over the murderers of Minister Rechavam (Gandhi) Ze\'evi.