"There was very, very heavy pressure - personal pressure applied by Bush," says Ha'aretz diplomatic commentator Akiva Eldar.
The American pressure, says Eldar, is also connected to Bush's meeting last Friday with Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah. Lifting the siege on Arafat, he says, "was one of the things that Bush promised to the Saudis."
Haaretz is no big fan of Sharon so I would take their analysis with a grain of salt.
It's about time Bush showed some spine.