GAZA CITY, Sept 23: Yasser Arafat on Tuesday accused the United States of encouraging Israeli “crimes” against his people as Washington warned there would be no Palestinian state unless incoming premier Ahmed Qorei freed himself of the influence of the veteran leader.

“The (Israeli) occupiers and the settlers are making the mistake of denying the existence of our people,” Mr Arafat said in a telephone address to Palestinian deputies gathered in Gaza City.

“Because of the arrogance of the force which is blindly supported and followed by certain powers, they are committing crimes against our people, our towns, our villages our (refugee) camps and our infrastructure,” he said in an implicit reference to the United States.

His broadside came after US President George W. Bush said there would be no Palestinian state unless the Palestinian leadership was prepared to take on armed groups such as the Islamic Jihad and Hamas, while his Secretary of State Colin Powell said Arafat could not be relied upon as a partner for peace.—AFP