51.   After winding down the operation late last month, Israel adopted a new tactic, launching frequent incursions into Palestinian territory to arrest suspected militants.

52.   Also Thursday, Israel announced that two Palestinian militants had been arrested by Palestinian police on their way to carrying out a suicide bombing in Israel.

53.   And In recent days, more than two dozen offices of Hamas and Islamic Jihad have been shut down and militants have been arrested.

54.   Arafat has been criticized by some Palestinian factions for having arrested militants, several of whom announced a hunger strike Friday.

55.   Arresting militants has been a sensitive issue, with Israel demanding Arafat jail those responsible for attacks.

56.   Arresting militants has been a sensitive issue, with Israel demanding that Arafat jail those responsible for attacks.

57.   Arafat has been under intense American pressure to arrest militants suspected by Israel of involvement in the bombings and other attacks.

58.   Arafat has said he would only arrest suspected militants once there was evidence to tie them to attacks on Israel.

59.   Arafat responded that he would only arrest suspected militants if he found evidence to tie them to attacks on Israel.

60.   As with previous bomb attacks, Israeli officials said that Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat bore ultimate responsibility for his refusal to arrest Palestinian militants.