Jerusalem — Israel accused Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat on Sunday of plotting "the next wave of terror," displaying 50 tons of missiles, mortars and mines seized during a commando operation at sea . Amid recriminations, a U.S. envoy wrapped up talks without an agreement for a formal Mideast truce.
Standing before row upon row of the confiscated weaponry, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon alleged Arafat was directly involved in the $100 million arms shipment, accusing him of personally ordering the weapons from Iran and a ship from Lebanon to carry them.
The Palestinian leadership has denied any connection to the Iranian-made weapons or the ship. In a statement Sunday, the Palestinian leadership said it "condemns this operation and condemns the Israeli attempt to accuse the Palestinian Authority of being involved in this."
A U.S. official in Washington, speaking on condition of anonymity, said it was possible the weapons were headed for Hezbollah, the militant Lebanese group, or Hamas, the extremist Palestinian movement.
A Hezbollah official in Beirut, Lebanon, denied any member of the guerrilla group was on board the ship. He declined to say whether any of the weapons were intended for the movement.
The dispute over the massive weapons cache overshadowed the mission by Anthony Zinni, the U.S. envoy who was completing four days of talks Sunday evening with Israeli and Palestinian leaders, but with no signs of a breakthrough.
The period of relative calm that preceded Zinni's visit prevailed during his stay. But he was not able to persuade the sides to begin implementation of a cease-fire plan drafted last year by CIA director George Tenet.
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