Foreign Minister Shimon Peres is still hoping to meet with Yasser Arafat. Before this morning\'s murder near Nokdim, Peres said that Arafat “is making genuine efforts to cease the violence, and has even prevented some attacks.” Around the same time, Infrastructures Minister Avigdor Lieberman - who had no idea that he would soon be eulogizing his fellow Nokdim resident at her funeral - said that Arafat is a “dangerous terrorist,” and “we must not negotiate with terrorists.”
Instead of the Peres-Arafat meeting, which was scheduled yesterday by Sharon and Peres for this evening, the Prime Minister will convene the mini-security cabinet at 9 PM tonight. It was learned earlier that Omri Sharon, the Prime Minister’s son and unofficial envoy, met with Arafat in Gaza on Sunday. Ministers Landau, Lieberman, Yeshai, and Ze\'evi called upon Prime Minister Sharon not to allow Peres to meet with Arafat, and Shas party leader Eli Yeshai agreed, observing that the ceasefire announced by Arafat is nothing more than an illusion. Opposition party leader MK Tommy Lapid of Shinui also said today that there is no reason to meet with Arafat while the attacks continue.
Prime Minister Sharon appeared to be leaning to this position when he said, around noon today, that he regrets that the Palestinians were unable to keep the ceasefire for more than 20 hours.
Minister Dalia Itzik (Labor) had no good words to say for Arafat today, but said that Peres should meet with him so as not to give him the chance to say that Israel is the one refusing to talk. MK Sha\'ul Yahalom (National Religious Party) told Arutz-7 today, \"Arafat is smarter than both Sharon and Peres and is leading them along by the nose. Everyone says that his ceasefire is merely a ploy, so why are we playing along with him? Why are we falling for this bluff?\" He said that it is obvious that the proper course of action now is to attack the PA and not entertain any thoughts of negotiations: \"Later, if and when we have to talk with them, it will be from the position of victor. I\'m not sure that we\'ll have to talk with them, however, as after Camp David last year, everyone now knows that the Palestinians are not ready for any peace with us, even with the thousands of concessions that Barak was willing to make.\"
Instead of the Peres-Arafat meeting, which was scheduled yesterday by Sharon and Peres for this evening, the Prime Minister will convene the mini-security cabinet at 9 PM tonight. It was learned earlier that Omri Sharon, the Prime Minister’s son and unofficial envoy, met with Arafat in Gaza on Sunday. Ministers Landau, Lieberman, Yeshai, and Ze\'evi called upon Prime Minister Sharon not to allow Peres to meet with Arafat, and Shas party leader Eli Yeshai agreed, observing that the ceasefire announced by Arafat is nothing more than an illusion. Opposition party leader MK Tommy Lapid of Shinui also said today that there is no reason to meet with Arafat while the attacks continue.
Prime Minister Sharon appeared to be leaning to this position when he said, around noon today, that he regrets that the Palestinians were unable to keep the ceasefire for more than 20 hours.
Minister Dalia Itzik (Labor) had no good words to say for Arafat today, but said that Peres should meet with him so as not to give him the chance to say that Israel is the one refusing to talk. MK Sha\'ul Yahalom (National Religious Party) told Arutz-7 today, \"Arafat is smarter than both Sharon and Peres and is leading them along by the nose. Everyone says that his ceasefire is merely a ploy, so why are we playing along with him? Why are we falling for this bluff?\" He said that it is obvious that the proper course of action now is to attack the PA and not entertain any thoughts of negotiations: \"Later, if and when we have to talk with them, it will be from the position of victor. I\'m not sure that we\'ll have to talk with them, however, as after Camp David last year, everyone now knows that the Palestinians are not ready for any peace with us, even with the thousands of concessions that Barak was willing to make.\"