CIA chief meets Arafat

Published June 5, 2002

RAMALLAH, June 4: CIA chief George Tenet on Tuesday met Yasser Arafat, whose sprawling security services he is tasked with knocking into shape, as Israeli forces moved back into the West Bank towns of Al Khalil and Jenin, killing a teenager.

The army moved into Al Khalil, where a small group of Jewish settlers also lives under heavy guard, after an Israeli truck overturned near the southern city after Palestinians threw rocks at it. The driver was hurt seriously.

A Palestinian teenager was shot dead in a village near Al Khalil which was also raided by the army. The army said one of its patrols was later stoned by Palestinian youths in the area.

The latest violence erupted as Tenet held more than two hours of talks with Arafat, who according to aides urged the US spymaster to do all he could to curb Israeli raids.

Tenet, on a mission to reshape the Palestinian police and militia units to cut down on persistent attacks on Israel, on Monday met Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.—AFP