U.S. Mediator Meets With Arafat

RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP) - Renewing a truce mission, a U.S. mediator met with Yasser Arafat (news - web sites) at the Palestinian leader's besieged headquarters Friday, as Israel's offensive against Palestinian militants entered its second week despite U.S. demands that troops withdraw from West Bank cities.

U.S. envoy Anthony Zinni became the first senior official in eight days to meet with Arafat, who has been confined by Israel to a few rooms in his West Bank headquarters since the start of "Operation Defensive Shield" last week.

Israeli soldiers fired tear gas and stun grenades at journalists trying to cover the meeting. Soldiers surrounded the journalists, keeping them about 100 yards away from the compound. Around 30 tanks surrounded the building, and some pointed their barrels at the journalists.