Arafat's soaring popularity in free-fall as Palestinians reassess his leadership

NABLUS, West Bank — The popularity of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, which skyrocketed during the months he was besieged by Israel in Ramallah, is plummeting now as Palestinians reassess the results of his leadership of their long, bloody uprising.

Less than two weeks after the lifting of the siege, criticism of the 72-year-old father of the Palestinian national movement is everywhere — from the rubble-strewn streets of Nablus to the ruined Palestinian Authority offices in Ramallah to the economically stricken shops of East Jerusalem.