White House: Arafat must 'turn his words into deeds'

Arafat pledged those responsible for attacks would be arrested

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said on Monday that Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat needs to prove to the Bush administration he has the authority to lead the Palestinian people.

Fleischer said it was "constructive" that Arafat heeded the administration's call to address the Palestinian people in Arabic "expressing the message that the violence has to stop." However, he said now Arafat's task is to "demonstrate that he has, one, the desire, and, two, the authority, to turn his words into deeds."

Fleischer was referring to a strongly worded speech Arafat made Sunday, in which the Palestinian leader said "all sorts of armed activities should be stopped and there should be no more attacks, especially the suicide bombing attacks that we have always condemned."

"The key is for Chairman Arafat to show that he is that man, that he does have the authority, that he does have the capability, the desire to lead the Palestinian people," Fleischer said.

"If peace is to develop and take root, somebody in a position of authority in Palestinian territory has got to stop the violence."

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In late November, the Bush administration was calling for both sides to make "hard compromises" to move forward in the peace process. However, after the December 1-2 terror attacks, including twin bombings in Jerusalem, that killed 25 Israelis, a senior Bush administration official declared the United States "fed up" with Arafat and official U.S. rhetoric has increasingly focused on demands that Arafat crack down on terrorist activity.

Fleischer's comments came shortly after Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres said Monday that -- despite his government's declaration last week that Arafat is "irrelevant" -- he believes the leader still has a chance to prove he can control Palestinian militants.

"I wasn't taken by this definition, but I think his relevance to this situation depends upon the implementation of these declarations and that we should wait and see," Peres said.

Mideast violence continued Monday as a 13-year-old Palestinian boy from the Khan Younis refugee camp in Gaza was shot and killed, according to the Palestine Red Crescent. The Israeli army said it was checking that report.

In the West Bank, a Jewish man was injured Monday when suspected Palestinian gunmen open fire on his car, the Israel Defense Forces said. Palestinian officials could not be reached for comment on the incident.

Two more Palestinians were shot dead by Israeli troops earlier Monday in West Bank town of Nablus. Israel said the men were shot because they were considered an armed threat. Palestinians said the men were plainclothes police officers trying to carry out Arafat's anti-terrorism mandate.

Hours after Arafat's speech Sunday, there was a mortar fired into a Jewish settlement in Gaza. No one was injured.

Soon thereafter, Israeli troops killed a member of the Islamic militant group Hamas during a raid Monday in the West Bank city of Hebron, Palestinian and Israeli officials said.

Sheik Saed Seyam, a leader of Hamas, said his group will avenge the death and continue resisting Israel.

Israel has targeted Hamas, an Islamic fundamentalist group, because its military wing has claimed responsibility for attacks against Israeli military personnel and civilian areas.