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We are not scared, says Arafat

RAMALLAH (WEST BANK), Feb. 20. The Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat said today he remained undaunted after a fierce Israeli bombardment overnight and vowed Palestinians would one day end Israeli occupation.

"The tanks and the missiles and the planes do not terrify us. We are not scared of the soldiers, the bombardment of our headquarters or prisons," Mr. Arafat told supporters at his offices in the West Bank city of Ramallah. A barrage of Israeli strikes killed 15 Palestinians after Palestinian gunmen shot dead six soldiers on Tuesday in their deadliest raid on the Israeli military in a nearly 17-month-old Palestinian uprising.

One missile struck a caravan inside Arafat's Presidential compound in Ramallah, several metres from the Palestinian leader's offices, but he was unharmed. "This act proves that they have hatred in their hearts," Mr. Arafat said.

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