1.   Arafat said he spoke Monday with Secretary of State Colin Powell and described to him the tank movements as Israel prepared its offensive on the city.

2.   But apart from some tank movements in the middle of the night, there was no indication of a full withdrawal, according to Palestinian security sources.

3.   Also, Palestinians reported Israeli tank movements early Wednesday near Nablus, the largest Palestinian city, which has so far not been part of the Israeli operation.

4.   An AP reporter said tank movement in central Ramallah early Saturday was unusually heavy, but could not confirm whether they were leaving because the town was under curfew.

5.   Israel TV said the tank movement was a message to Hezbollah not to fire more Katyushas rather than the beginning of an Israeli ground strike in Lebanon.

6.   It was not immediately clear whether the tank movement was part of a larger military operation in the city.

7.   It said tank movements were bogged down outside the city.

8.   Security men with walkie talkies posted near the compound updated bodyguards in the building on Israeli tank movements.

9.   Croatian forces strengthened their positions in the east of the country Saturday as UN officials played down the significance of tank movements across the border in Serbia.

10.   The tank movements were preceded by artillery fire, ITAR-TASS reported.