Washington — President Bush provided three key Arab leaders with evidence Yasser Arafat's Palestinian Authority was involved in trying to smuggle 50 tons of weapons to the Palestinians, senior administration officials said Thursday.
The weapons were intercepted by Israeli commandos in the Red Sea, and Israeli security officials informed the United States the arms were designed to be used in terror raids against Israeli civilians.
Bush provided the evidence in letters last week to the leaders of Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Egypt, all considered moderate Arab nations with close ties to the United States, the officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity. He also asked the leaders' help in persuading Arafat to make more arrests connected to the smuggling and to combat terrorism generally. The officials didn't describe the evidence, but diplomatic sources told The Associated Press it was basically American intelligence.
Today, Assistant Secretary of State William Burns will summon two dozen Arab ambassadors to provide them with more information about the smuggling incident and to underscore U.S. insistence that Arafat combat terrorism more vigorously, another U.S. official said.
Dispatch of Bush's letter, first reported Thursday evening by CBS News, surfaced as the administration again turned up the heat on Arafat.
White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said the president understands why Israel has confined Arafat to his West Bank headquarters.
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