Israel rejects the Egyptian-Jordanian initiative of only a
four-week cease fire before the negotiations are resumed.
Israel demands a longer waiting period to ensure that the
Palestinians are serious. Foreign Affairs Minister Shimon
Peres will also argue, in his talks in the United States,
that Arafat not be received in Washington as long as the
terror continues, in order not to accord a prize to
terror.
Prime Minister Sharon met on motzei Shabbos with Ron
Lauder, one of the heads of the Jewish representation in the
United States. The meeting was held in Sharon's home at his
Sycamore Ranch. In the past, Lauder arranged for talks
between Netanyahu and the Syrians. Some observers wondered
whether Sharon is using the Lauder's services in order to
open negotiations in the Syrian channel. Sharon's office
said that it was a routine meeting, and that Sharon is
concentrating on stopping the violence on the Palestinian
front.
Sharon's office is very pessimistic regarding any
possibility of a cease fire.
Prime Minister Sharon Ariel Sharon met this past Monday with
the Secretary General of the Ministerial Council and the
Secretary General for Foreign Affairs of the European
Council, Xavier Solna. Sharon reiterated that his government
will conduct political negotiations only after the violence
stops, and stressed that it must be a total cessation of
every kind of terror. "We will examine the situation only
according to its results on-the-ground, and not according to
declarations and promises."
The Prime Minister noted that the current situation is
intolerable, and that the violence has been on the increase
since Independence Day. The Palestinian Authority is not
fulfilling the obligations it made in all the agreements to
take action against the terror and its infrastructure, and
Arafat is responsible for the terror. The Prime Minister
stressed that he is obligated, first and foremost, to insure
the security of the citizens of Israel, and that if the
Palestinian Authority won't do anything to stop the
violence, Israel will be forced to do so.
"No country in the world would bear daily onslaughts of
terror, nor willing to pay for it with the blood of its
citizens," the Prime Minister said.
Sharon's office criticized the "former minister" who is
acting in Washington on Arafat's behalf and is trying to
arrange a meeting between Arafat and President Bush.
Sharon's staff is referring to Yossi Beilin. At a government
meeting at the beginning of the week, Sharon attacked Beilin
indirectly for his political contacts with the Palestinians.
Beilin responded: "I propose that the Prime Minister try and
realize his promises to bring about peace and security, and
stop his campaign which proves again that the sea is the
same sea, and Sharon is the same Sharon."
