Arafat, trapped in devastated compound, defies Israeli demands

RAMALLAH, West Bank -- A defiant Yasser Arafat dug in at his besieged compound Monday, rejecting Israel's demand to hand over the names of all those inside.

As Israeli troops settled in, criticism of the blockade -- the third in 10 months -- intensified in Israel. Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is boosting Arafat's popularity, instead of sidelining him, the government's detractors said.

The assault on Arafat's office has made an already tense situation even more volatile. With Arafat ringed by troops and confined to a building Palestinians claim is in danger of collapse, Israel cannot guarantee the Palestinian leader's safety. Harm to Arafat, even unintentional, could ignite the region.

Arafat's isolation has triggered street protests, some orchestrated and some spontaneous, in a replay of the scenes that marked the beginning of fighting two years ago.

On Monday, Palestinians observed a commercial strike and staged more protests, burning tires and pelting soldiers with rocks -- events rarely seen in recent months. About 10,000 rallied in Gaza, many schoolchildren bused in for the demonstration.

For the first time since Israeli tanks crashed into the compound on Thursday -- retaliating for a Palestinian suicide bombing in Tel Aviv that killed six bystanders -- Israeli and Palestinian officials met Monday to begin feeling their way to a solution of the latest crisis. No progress was reported.

Israel is demanding that all the men in Arafat's office building surrender for questioning. Israel originally said 19 terror suspects were in the building, including Tawfik Tirawi, the Palestinian intelligence chief.