MIDEAST . . . TOUGH LOVE AT THE PEACE TABLE

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What is Yasser Arafat up to? This morning, the PLO chairman's justice minister said that more than two dozen Palestinians would be tried in special military courts as part of a crackdown on Islamic militants. But the group, which faces the death penalty, is on trial for allegedly collaborating with the PLO's erstwhile peace partner, Israel. Later today, as Israeli officials criticized the plan, Arafat warmly announced that he was ready to start negotiating a permanent peace settlement -- including accelerating the final talks now due in 1996. "We are ready to start as soon as possible," Arafat said.