DATE=04/05/02

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=ISRAEL / PALESTINIANS (S)

NUMBER=2-288364

BYLINE= ROSS DUNN

DATELINE=JERUSALEM

CONTENT=

INTRO: U-S Middle East envoy Anthony Zinni is to meet with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat today (Friday), as part of continuing American efforts to end the Israeli Palestinian crisis. At the same time, Israeli Prime Minister, Ariel Sharon, has made it clear his country's military offensive in the West Bank will continue. Ross Dunn in Jerusalem has more on the story.

TEXT: Prime Minister Sharon told Mr. Zinni, a retired general, that he could meet today with Mr. Arafat in the Palestinian leader's besieged headquarters in the West Bank city of Ramallah.

Mr. Sharon gave his backing to the move, the first time he has made such a concession, after vowing to keep the Palestinian leader isolated from the outside world, as part of Israel's military offensive in the West Bank.

The Israeli Prime Minister on Thursday refused to allow a high-level European Union delegation to see Mr. Arafat.

In a meeting with Mr. Zinni on Thursday, Mr. Sharon said the Israeli military operations in the West Bank would continue, in order that, in his words, "Palestinian terror and its organizers be suppressed".

Mr. Sharon's comments came after President George W. Bush called on Israel to withdraw its troops and announced he was dispatching Secretary of State Colin Powell to the region. (SIGNED)

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