Despite the murder of yet another Jewish woman this morning, and despite the fact that some 4/5 of the Israeli public is against a Peres-Arafat meeting, and despite the fact that MK Tzvi Hendel notes that \"there is no American pressure, except for that exerted by Colin Powell, on Israel to hold such a meeting\" - it now appears that Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has allowed Foreign Minister Peres to meet with PLO terrorist chief Yasser Arafat tomorrow evening. The two announced that the meeting would take place \"in the near future and at the appropriate time.\" It appears that the two wish the meeting to take place before the Wednesday night-Thursday holiday of Yom Kippur. Some reports, however, say that the meeting will take place immediately after Yom Kippur.
Although Sharon reacted to today\'s murder with the shrewd observation that \"There is no ceasefire,\" and although he has been insisting on 48 hours of total quiet before allowing Peres to meet with Arafat, he apparently was cowed by Peres\' threats to \"go on vacation\" and veiled threats of American disapproval. In a private talk this morning, the two agreed that Peres would meet with Arafat tomorrow in Gaza. Arafat, for his part, has said that he will be glad to meet with Peres at any time, in the knowledge that such a meeting would grant him legitimacy as a peacemaker as the world gets set to battle terrorism.
Although Sharon reacted to today\'s murder with the shrewd observation that \"There is no ceasefire,\" and although he has been insisting on 48 hours of total quiet before allowing Peres to meet with Arafat, he apparently was cowed by Peres\' threats to \"go on vacation\" and veiled threats of American disapproval. In a private talk this morning, the two agreed that Peres would meet with Arafat tomorrow in Gaza. Arafat, for his part, has said that he will be glad to meet with Peres at any time, in the knowledge that such a meeting would grant him legitimacy as a peacemaker as the world gets set to battle terrorism.