Arafat angry, hopeful after Israel lifts siege

Arafat on Israeli military operations: "Who can accept this?"

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RAMALLAH, West Bank (CNN) -- Israel lifted its siege of Yasser Arafat's compound Wednesday as part of a U.S.-brokered deal. CNN's Matthew Chance was the first journalist to conduct a one-on-one interview with Arafat after Israel lifted its restrictions on access to the Palestinian leader.

CNN: This must be a massive relief that this siege around your compound has come to an end. It's an obvious question, but how do you feel right now?

ARAFAT: What is important now is this big crime which has happened against this holy sacred place for the Muslims and for the Christians, the Nativity church. You have followed what they have done -- two big places have been burned, in the Franciscan area and in the Orthodox room. We succeed just now (kissing his hand) -- hamdu li-lah (by God's grace), we say in Arabic -- they succeed inside to control the fire, to put out the fire.

But they are continuing until now, the attacking against the Nativity church. What do you call it? I am asking you personally. This happened the same some years ago, if you remember, against the Al Aqsa Mosque, now against the Nativity church. Who can believe it, in the whole world?

CNN: President Arafat, let me ask you, did you hope that there would be some resolution to that standoff at the Church of the Nativity similar to the resolution that we've seen here today?

ARAFAT: This was (in progress). The (process) which I had started with the American consul and the British consul; (when they) came to me, I was not discussing only my headquarters. I was discussing with them the Nativity church before my headquarters. And we agreed upon that the two sides and the two places would find a solution for it. And you (photographed) what they have done against me here.

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Three explosions. Three buildings have been destroyed. But I remained silent, because for me it makes no difference even if they had destroyed this room in which I am working. What is important for me and for the whole world (is) this Nativity church and what they have done against the statue of St. Mary.

You remember the whole world moved when the Buddha statues had been (destroyed) in Afghanistan. The whole world moved. Why are they not moving against what is happening at this holy sacred place for the whole Muslims, for the whole Christians, all over the world?

CNN: Obviously, you're very concerned about that, and understandably so, sir. But can we talk for just a moment about what's been taking place here in Ramallah? It's been a positive, a peaceful resolution to the standoff here, relatively so.

ARAFAT: We hope so. We will see tomorrow.

CNN: Do you welcome the involvement of the United States in all this?

ARAFAT: No doubt. And I have to thank President Bush, and Prime Minister Blair, and (Secretary of State) Colin Powell, and the committee of the four, the Europeans, the Russians, the Americans, the United Nations committee, and we cannot forget the effort of Crown Prince Abdullah, the crown prince of Saudi Arabia. We cannot forget ... his initiative, you remember became an Arab initiative. What was the reaction of the Israelis? They started their war against us, what is going in Jenin, Jenin refugee camp, the old city of Nablus.

Did you know, the old city of Nablus (has existed) since when? Since the father of Joseph was living with his sons beside it. You know that, historically? And they have destroyed it. Who can accept this? Who can accept what is going now against Hebron? Who can accept what is going now in Tulkarm and in Jenin and in Qalqilyah ... and in Beit Jalya ... and Bethlehem and everywhere. Who can accept this?

CNN: There is going to be increased pressure on you, President Arafat, to do more to fight militant groups and their activities. What further pressure can you bring to bear on those militant groups to stop their attacks against Israeli civilians?

ARAFAT: Not to forget, what they are doing with these big crimes is increasing these activities. I hope that you had heard (Egyptian) President Mubarak, who is worried, like me, from these barbarian activities from the Israeli army.

CNN: What pressure are you prepared to bring to bear on militant groups to get them to stop their attacks on civilians? What pressure, specifically?

ARAFAT: Not to forget, forget myself, the peace of the brave that I had signed with my partner Rabin, who has been killed by these fanatic groups that are in power now in Israel. But for this, I have to follow up, not to forget the peace of the brave that I had signed with my partner Rabin. We, the Palestinians, cannot forget, and we have to follow up with all our power.

CNN: Have you given up on that peace process? Do you think it could possible be revived at this stage?

ARAFAT: I believe that if there is a will, there is a way. And not to forget, the majority of the Israeli people are with the peace of the brave. And our people are the same, and (I am) the same, and the Arab summit conference declared the initiative and adopted the initiative, which had been declared by Crown Prince Abdullah and became an Arab initiative. And the resolution of the Security Council, and the resolution of Kofi Annan for this committee, and for the observers -- and for this we are in need of a quick move from His Excellency and the superpower now.

CNN: What are you calling on the United States to do now? What further action can they take? How much more engaged can they be?

ARAFAT: To follow up this strong start from His Excellency, and His Excellency President Bush, and to complete what his father, President Bush the father [did] when he started up the Madrid conference. Land for peace, for our children and for their children. For the Palestinians and for the Israelis. For the whole Middle East area and for the whole world. And not to forget this terra sancta -- this land of peace. And the only way for us and for them and for the whole world, for our children and for their children, for our future and for their future. And I cannot forget that until now, and in spite of what is going, that the majority of the Israeli people are with the peace of the brave. And we cannot forget that some soldiers and some high officers have refused to follow up and to continue these dirty crimes.

CNN: Let me ask you, sir, what do you intend to do in the morning? What's your first act?

ARAFAT: First of all, if they will open for me -- if not, in the morning, I find tanks around me again -- I will go to see what has happened in all of our cities and towns, the disasters, the crimes, the losses. All our infrastructures have been destroyed. All our infrastructures.

CNN: Will you be staying in the West Bank, or also visiting Gaza?

ARAFAT: Everywhere. Can we forget that today, how many have been killed and wounded in Gaza? Five have been killed, a small girl was, with two brothers and her father and another person outside.

CNN: What about travels in the Arab world and elsewhere, in Europe?

ARAFAT:This is not the first item for me.

CNN: Do you have any firm travel plans at this point?

ARAFAT: Not yet. ... This is not the first item for me. The most important thing, I have to go see and shake hands with my people who have suffered, who have faced the crimes, the disasters.

CNN: Will you be allowed to travel?

ARAFAT: It became Jeningrad instead of Stalingrad. You remember something like that? Stalingrad? Now, Jeningrad.