Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is set to begin the most important part of his visit to the United States early this evening [Israel time] when he meets with President George W. Bush. Five hours have been set aside for the leaders and their staffs to meet, including an hour in which Sharon and Bush will meet alone.
Arutz-7\'s Yedidya Atlas, covering Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s visit in Washington, D.C., reports that Sharon\'s meeting with US Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld yesterday \"took place in a warm and friendly atmosphere.” The two discussed the growth of the terrorism threat to Middle East and global stability. \"Most of the wars in the Middle East began because of terrorism,” Mr. Sharon said, reminding Secretary Rumsfeld that official PA elements are directly involved in terrorism attacks. Sharon noted proof of the PA\'s direct involvement from recent events. The Hebrew edition of Ha\'aretz reported today that an hour before Sunday\'s mortar attack on Kibbutz Nachal Oz (east of Gaza, within pre-1967 Israel), the Palestinians issued a call to their forces to take cover because \"an Israeli action is expected.\" The IDF assumes that the leadership of the Palestinian Authority was actively or passively involved in preparations for the attack. (IMRA notes that this item was not reported in the English edition of Ha\'aretz.)
While the Prime Minister again declared his willingness to negotiate with Arafat and make every effort to achieve peace, Mr. Sharon reiterated: \"One thing must be clear: There is no possibility at all that we will negotiate under the threat of terror and violence... We want to reach peace, but we must first restore the quiet. We are interested in stability, but there is one thing we will not sacrifice for stability, and that is our lives... It is the basic right of every nation to defend herself.” Rumsfeld told Sharon, “Israel is a small country, and you cannot allow yourselves to make big mistakes.”
Following the meeting with President Bush, Prime Minister Sharon will depart for New York. He will meet there with UN Secretary-General Kofi Anan, with whom he will raise the matter of the abducted Israelis in Lebanon.
Arutz-7\'s Yedidya Atlas, covering Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s visit in Washington, D.C., reports that Sharon\'s meeting with US Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld yesterday \"took place in a warm and friendly atmosphere.” The two discussed the growth of the terrorism threat to Middle East and global stability. \"Most of the wars in the Middle East began because of terrorism,” Mr. Sharon said, reminding Secretary Rumsfeld that official PA elements are directly involved in terrorism attacks. Sharon noted proof of the PA\'s direct involvement from recent events. The Hebrew edition of Ha\'aretz reported today that an hour before Sunday\'s mortar attack on Kibbutz Nachal Oz (east of Gaza, within pre-1967 Israel), the Palestinians issued a call to their forces to take cover because \"an Israeli action is expected.\" The IDF assumes that the leadership of the Palestinian Authority was actively or passively involved in preparations for the attack. (IMRA notes that this item was not reported in the English edition of Ha\'aretz.)
While the Prime Minister again declared his willingness to negotiate with Arafat and make every effort to achieve peace, Mr. Sharon reiterated: \"One thing must be clear: There is no possibility at all that we will negotiate under the threat of terror and violence... We want to reach peace, but we must first restore the quiet. We are interested in stability, but there is one thing we will not sacrifice for stability, and that is our lives... It is the basic right of every nation to defend herself.” Rumsfeld told Sharon, “Israel is a small country, and you cannot allow yourselves to make big mistakes.”
Following the meeting with President Bush, Prime Minister Sharon will depart for New York. He will meet there with UN Secretary-General Kofi Anan, with whom he will raise the matter of the abducted Israelis in Lebanon.