U.S. Is Given Papers That Israelis Assert Tie Arafat to Terror

WASHINGTON, April 11 — Israel has given the United States a cache of documents that Israeli officials say were captured in raids in the West Bank and establish that Yasir Arafat financed and oversaw terrorist attacks by Palestinian militants.

The documents were provided to Bush administration officials this week, apparently in an effort to reinforce Israel's contention that Mr. Arafat cannot be trusted and to blunt pressure from Washington for a halt to the Israeli military offensive.

The Israelis say the documents and other intelligence do more than draw a link to Mr. Arafat and his top lieutenants. They say they also show that elements of the Palestinian office of preventive security, which the United States has backed as a way to enhance the authority of moderate Palestinians and head off terrorist attacks, are also linked to suicide bombings.

A senior Israeli military official was careful not to assert that Jabril Rajoub, the leader of the office, had directed any attacks. But the official said that mortars and heavy machine guns, as well as yarmulkas and other disguises for suicide bombers, were found in his headquarters.

Palestinian officials have charged that the documents released by the Israelis are being taken out of context or are forgeries being used in an attempt to justify a military offensive in the West Bank that has drawn widespread criticism.