Chief of Israeli army demands Arafat removal

MIDDLE EAST: For the Chief-of-Staff of the Israeli army, Lieut Gen Shaul Mofaz, the failure of US Secretary of State Mr Colin Powell's mediating mission is no surprise. David Horovitz reports from Jerusalem

In a Hebrew press interview ahead of Israel's 54th Independence Day yesterday, Gen Mofaz was unequivocal: Neither Mr Powell nor any other would-be Middle East peacemaker would succeed so long as Mr Yasser Arafat was leading the Palestinian Authority.

Mr Arafat "uses terrorism against us, and under his leadership we will never reach an accord", the chief-of-staff said. "Eventually the Palestinian leadership will realise that he is the obstacle. I'm convinced they'll kick him out. History is full of people who were apparently irreplaceable, until they were replaced."