GAZA, Nov. 12 (Xinhuanet) -- Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat on Wednesday denounced Israel for leading a criminal war against the Palestinians.

    Arafat made the remarks while addressing the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC), which is holding a special session in the West Bank town of Ramallah to approve the new cabinet of Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei.

    "Israel has been leading a criminal war over the past 38 months against the Palestinian people in the West Bank and Gaza, causing comprehensive death and destruction aimed at preventing us from establishing our independent state," said Arafat.

    Arafat, 74, sat beside the new PLC speaker Rafiq Al Natcheh, wearing black-and-while scarf on his head and in military uniform.

    He accused Israel of using depleted uranium against the Palestinian people, saying a European-American committee of uraniumexperts had approved that the Israelis were using uranium against the Palestinian people.

    "I declare before you as well as the whole world that my life isthreatened day and night by the Israelis, but my life is not more precious than the life of any Palestinian child or woman," said Arafat.

    A total of 68 members out of 84 attended the meeting, the absentwere either sick or unable to reach Ramallah because of the Israelisecurity measures.

    Arafat accused the government of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon of spreading rumors that the Palestinians are the enemies ofpeace.

    "I am telling the Israeli people that what their government is saying is not true," Arafat said. "The power of peace in Israel know this very well that we are not against peace." Enditem