Conflicting messages are emanating from the West regarding the future of Yasser Arafat. While the European Union announced today that it would accept his re-election, if that were the Palestinian choice, officials in the Bush administration warned yesterday they the PA would cloud its prospects for nationhood by reelecting Arafat. Even Secretary of State Powell, who until recently had been in favor of dealing with Arafat, said yesterday that the PA leader had been a disappointment and \"did not seize... opportunities to bring the violence under control.\" The PA\'s UN envoy responded that Arafat will probably run - and win - in the election scheduled for January. Meanwhile, both Egypt and Saudi Arabia have issued announcements condemning the U.S. \"intervention\" in demanding Arafat\'s ouster.



In Gaza, thousands of protestors stood outside Arafat\'s Gaza office this afternoon, demanding that the PA supply them with \"bread and work.\"