The U.S. ambassador to Israel told reporters earlier this week that Palestinian President Yasser Arafat needs to do more to crack down on militants. Last week, a senior State Department official said the Palestinian leader should stop the "ongoing process of calculated terror" against Israel by "cracking down on the 'Islamist' groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad."
At the same time, according to a Palestinian research center, support for Arafat's own Fatah faction has dropped while support for Islamic militant groups is gaining among Palestinians. Today's Dateline explores "Arafat's Dilemma" and the political pressures he faces.