Arafat: No Progress in Talks With Israel

Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat said no progress had been made in the first direct talks with Israel in months on the scope of a West Bank troop withdrawal. Despite the deadlock, Israeli Cabinet minister Ariel Sharon and other coalition members threatened to bring down Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he agreed to withdraw from an additional 13% of West Bank land, as proposed by the United States. The direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians began Sunday at the urging of the U.S., which has said it has exhausted its role as mediator.