Arafat threatens Israel with renewed intifada

The Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat, has warned Israel of a possible resumption of the intifada, the seven-year Palestinian uprising against Israeli rule.

Addressing a rally in Gaza, Mr Arafat said the Palestinian people were ready to sacrifice blood for Palestine.

The BBC Jerusalem correspondent says the speech is a sign that Mr Arafat's patience has virtually run out after the Israeli cabinet delayed a decision on how much land in the West Bank it is prepared to hand over to the Palestinians.

The Israeli prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, is on his way to Washington, where he will discuss the issue with President Clinton on Tuesday.

Mr Arafat is now in Egypt for talks ahead of a meeting with Mr Clinton on Thursday.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service