Israeli troops surround Arafat's compound; curfew imposed

RAMALLAH, West Bank -- Israeli tanks encircled the battered compound of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat on Monday while troops arrested 27 suspected Palestinian militants and imposed a curfew during a sweep through the city.

Israel launched its latest West Bank raid just hours before Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon sat down with President Bush at the White House. The president has given Israel strong backing throughout the Mideast fighting, and Bush said after the meeting that "Israel has a right to defend herself."

The Israeli raid was focused on seizing Palestinian suspects, and the soldiers surrounded Arafat's compound to prevent Palestinian gunmen from seeking refuge there, the army said. The military did not attack the compound, as it did Thursday, when it blew up three buildings in response to a Palestinian suicide bombing a day earlier.

Arafat was inside the compound Monday and was unharmed, Palestinian officials said.

One Palestinian man was killed and two were wounded in exchanges of fire around the city, Palestinian doctors said. Two soldiers were wounded, the army said.

The army arrested 27 suspects in Ramallah, including "a suicide bomber who was ready to be sent," said Israeli Defense Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer.

The Israeli troops were expected to remain in Ramallah for a "day or two," he added.

The military said soldiers found two car bombs ready for deployment, each with dozens of pounds of explosives, Israeli ID cards and documents connected to the Palestinian Authority.

Israeli forces also arrested about 15 suspects in the West Bank town of Hebron, Palestinian witnesses said. The military said the Palestinians were released after questioning.

Palestinian Information Minister Yasser Abed Rabbo said the Israeli raids were part of Sharon's attempt to undermine "the reform process."

The incursions came a day after Arafat announced a revamped Cabinet, which was to hold its first meeting Monday at the compound. The session was canceled due to the Israeli tanks and armored personnel carriers lining the streets around the complex, which covers a full city block.

Sharon "doesn't want a strong Palestinian Authority," Abed Rabbo said. "He wants to weaken the Palestinian Authority and to destroy the Palestinian infrastructure."

Israel has also demanded that Arafat act against Palestinian militants, and on Sunday, Palestinian police in the Gaza Strip arrested a senior leader of the militant group Islamic Jihad. The movement carried out a suicide attack last Wednesday in northern Israel that killed 17 people.

Sheik Abdullah Shami, the Islamic Jihad leader in the Gaza Strip, was arrested in Gaza City, group officials said. His arrest came a day after another senior leader in the group was detained.

Arafat's leadership issued orders to arrest Islamic Jihad members after Wednesday's bombing.

Shami had boasted last week that he did not fear arrest by the Palestinian Authority, whose security forces were weakened by repeated Israeli strikes.

However, the Palestinians still have thousands of police and security officials on duty, and a few Palestinian prisons that are still operating. The Palestinians refused to comment on Shami's whereabouts.

Before dawn Monday, Israeli troops in tanks, armored personnel carriers and jeeps, as well as infantry on foot, poured into Ramallah, which is just a few miles north of Jerusalem.

Outside Arafat's compound, the army blocked roads with piles of rubble and earthen barricades. The streets were deserted throughout the day, and the army declared Ramallah a closed military zone and prevented journalists from entering.

The army took over a building that houses several international television organizations, and stopped some journalists already in Ramallah from approaching Arafat's compound.

In a followup to a massive military incursion in the West Bank that ended a month ago, Israeli troops have been staging almost daily in-and-out raids in Palestinian cities, towns and villages.

In Washington, Sharon reiterated that violence must end before peace negotiations can begin. He also stressed again that he doesn't believe there can be successful negotiations as long as Arafat remains in power.

Meanwhile, in the Gaza Strip, an explosion rocked the Jebaliya refugee camp Monday, destroying one building and damaging nearby homes, witnesses said.

An 18-year-old woman was killed and at least 25 people were injured, hospital officials said. Witnesses said the blast came from inside the building -- suggesting it may have been a Palestinian bomb that went off prematurely. Palestinian officials refused to comment.