CaptionYasser Arafat, Palestinian Authority Chairman, is driven away under security from his compound at the Mukatah. Israeli military forces had held him there under siege since late March. A deal exchanging prisoners for Arafat's freedom had been made between the Palestinian Authority and the Israeli government the night before. The siege marked the start of Operation Defensive Shield, which had the stated aim of putting an end to Palestinian suicide bombing. During the ensuing operation a number of West Bank cities were occupied. Israeli forces again besieged the compound on September 19, and blew up most of the complex, except for Arafat's immediate offices.
