Yasser Arafat departed Ramallah this morning for the first time in well over five months. He flew by Jordan-supplied helicopter to Bethlehem, where he visited the Church of the Nativity. It should be noted that although he was escorted by clergymen of the Greek Orthodox Church today, the leaders of the church fell with tears of joy and thanks upon the Israeli soldiers last week at the end of the 39-day siege around the church. One clergyman was quoted on CNN as saying that church leaders would not publicize all the damage and vandalism done to the church by the terrorists, as \"Bethlehem is mostly a Palestinian [Arab] city, and we have to live here with them.\" Only 350 people came to greet Arafat in Bethlehem, many less than had been expected. He then flew to Jenin and Shechem.
Arafat\'s popularity is in decline, a development attributed to the Mukata and the Church of the Nativity agreements in which he is seen to have agreed to hand over wanted terrorists, or have them deported, while he himself went free. The PA public also has much criticism of the PA and its offices, and demands change - such as a Prime Minister to work alongside Arafat.
Arafat\'s popularity is in decline, a development attributed to the Mukata and the Church of the Nativity agreements in which he is seen to have agreed to hand over wanted terrorists, or have them deported, while he himself went free. The PA public also has much criticism of the PA and its offices, and demands change - such as a Prime Minister to work alongside Arafat.