Arafat appeal over Israeli attacks

Arafat

RAMALLAH, West Bank (CNN) -- Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat called on the international community to act Tuesday, just hours after Israeli bombs destroyed a building next to his headquarters in Ramallah.

"Before this aggression started, we had succeeded... many had been arrested," Arafat told CNN's Rula Amin, adding that his most important question was "where (is) the international reaction?"

Tuesday morning, two Israeli Cobra helicopters fired rockets, striking a building in Ramallah adjacent to Arafat's headquarters, while he was there. Israel is striking Palestinian Authority targets in Gaza and the West Bank after weekend bombing attacks killed 25 Israelis. Three suicide bombers also died.

When asked what he thought what Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon wants from him, Arafat said he believed Sharon didn't want him to succeed in cracking down on terrorists.

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"He is escalating his military activities against our people, against our towns against our cities, against our establishments," he said.

In a televised address on Monday, Sharon accused Arafat of only token efforts to fight terrorism. "It's impossible for the terrorists to do what they do without receiving shelter and aid from Arafat," Sharon said. "They are allowed headquarters and training camps next to Arafat's headquarters. He has done nothing to deter them."

In the CNN interview, Arafat acknowledged the attacks prevented him and many Palestinians from moving around and were hampering efforts to distribute food.

"Put it yourself in my position ... in this complete siege, which we are facing troubles to send some food from here to there... can you imagine that no one can move to go to his school or to go to his university.

He also said there was no way to stop violence 100 percent without a peace agreement.