The creeping chaos in Palestinian areas has been evident throughout the last three years of intifada: brazen crimes by masked gunmen, economic meltdown, periodic internecine killings. But the killing early Tuesday of Khalil al-Zebin, a longtime associate of Yasir Arafat, the Palestinian leader, seemed to crystallize the growing lawlessness. It jolted the Palestinian government into declaring a crackdown on the internal anarchy that had largely been ignored. Mr. Zebin, 59, who edited a magazine on human rights and often criticized various Palestinian groups, was gunned down as he left his office after 1 a.m. on Tuesday. No one has claimed responsibility, but Palestinian officials suspect that the attackers are Palestinians. Full Story