The Palestinian mainstream Fatah movement warned Saturday Israel against hurting Yasser Arafat afterIsraeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon threatened to kill the veteran leader.

Fatah said in a leaflet sent to the press Saturday that carryingout such a foolish action would ignite the whole region and lead toa huge explosion of the situation in the Middle East.

"Any attack on Yasser Arafat would drag the whole region into a huge war and would of course undermine all the chances to revive the peace process,"said the statement.

The group warned that hurting President Arafat would be a great Israeli political stupidity for which Israel and the Israelis wouldpay a heavy price.

Fatah urged the international community,especially the international quartet,which includes the UN,the US,the European Union and Russia,to interfere immediately to stop any Israeli attempt to hurt Arafat.Enditem