Today\'s news involved a series of quotes uttered by Prime Minister Ariel Sharon at various forums, as well as significant statements made by other political leaders.
Sharon began by repeating his pledge, at the beginning of today\'s Cabinet meeting, not to conduct any talks regarding a Palestinian state before a discussion is held on the matter in the government. Sharon made this statement in response to a request by Tourism Minister Benny Elon that he relate to Foreign Minister Peres\' speech on Thursday in the UN. Peres gave Palestinian hopes a strong push when he said there, \"Although this is not yet a formal policy of the Government of Israel, there is support [in Israel] for Palestinian independence, support for a Palestinian state.\" Elon demanded again today that Sharon fire Peres, or at least publicly disassociate himself from his Foreign Minister\'s remarks.
Later in the day, Sharon appeared at a joint press conference with visiting Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt, the current rotating president of the European Union. Sharon repeated the Israeli demand for seven days of total quiet and a six-week cooling-off period before resuming negotiations with the PA - \"even if U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell calls upon Israel to tone down this demand in his speech tomorrow... We remain committed to the agreement we made with the Americans: total quiet, then seven days to ensure that the quiet is maintained, and then six weeks of cooling-off. It was agreed clearly with the Americans that no stage would begin until the preceding one is totally fulfilled.\"
Secretary Powell\'s speech tomorrow is being anxiously awaited because it will set the guidelines for the American vision of a framework here. \"What is causing the tension,\" Itim News Agency reporter Yoram Levy said, \"is the question of whether or not he will nullify the demand for seven days of quiet...\"
When Verhofstadt said that the past 12 days of quiet represent a positive development in the peace process, Sharon countered sharply that in the past 12 days there were 268 terrorist incidents against Israel, costing five Israeli dead. \"During this period, we arrested 35 wanted terrorists, while Arafat arrested only one - and [based on past experience,] we don\'t know how much time he will remain in prison.\"
Prime Minister Sharon explained that Israel does not remit funds to the PA because \"we refuse to pay the salaries of those who murder us.\" He called upon the European Union, as well, not to send financial aid to the Palestinian Authority: \"Your money is used to buy weapons that are directed against the State of Israel.\" Sharon suggested that EU aid should be in the form of investments in the construction of factories. Verhofstadt acknowledged that there is a tendency to think that the EU is pro-Palestinian, but \"it\'s not true; we are neutral… There must be an arrangement, namely, two states side-by-side.\"
Sharon sharply attacked Yasser Arafat, saying that Israel faces \"terror and incitement originating with Arafat, who leads a coalition of terrorism with the participation of Hamas, Islamic Jihad, Hizbullah, Fatah, Tanzim, and Force 17.\"
\"Our purpose today,\" Sharon said, \"is to bring about a ceasefire and quiet. The negotiating staff that I have established, headed by myself and with the participation of Peres, will conduct talks for a ceasefire when there is quiet. When the terrorism stops, then we will be able to talk about peace.\"
Sharon began by repeating his pledge, at the beginning of today\'s Cabinet meeting, not to conduct any talks regarding a Palestinian state before a discussion is held on the matter in the government. Sharon made this statement in response to a request by Tourism Minister Benny Elon that he relate to Foreign Minister Peres\' speech on Thursday in the UN. Peres gave Palestinian hopes a strong push when he said there, \"Although this is not yet a formal policy of the Government of Israel, there is support [in Israel] for Palestinian independence, support for a Palestinian state.\" Elon demanded again today that Sharon fire Peres, or at least publicly disassociate himself from his Foreign Minister\'s remarks.
Later in the day, Sharon appeared at a joint press conference with visiting Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt, the current rotating president of the European Union. Sharon repeated the Israeli demand for seven days of total quiet and a six-week cooling-off period before resuming negotiations with the PA - \"even if U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell calls upon Israel to tone down this demand in his speech tomorrow... We remain committed to the agreement we made with the Americans: total quiet, then seven days to ensure that the quiet is maintained, and then six weeks of cooling-off. It was agreed clearly with the Americans that no stage would begin until the preceding one is totally fulfilled.\"
Secretary Powell\'s speech tomorrow is being anxiously awaited because it will set the guidelines for the American vision of a framework here. \"What is causing the tension,\" Itim News Agency reporter Yoram Levy said, \"is the question of whether or not he will nullify the demand for seven days of quiet...\"
When Verhofstadt said that the past 12 days of quiet represent a positive development in the peace process, Sharon countered sharply that in the past 12 days there were 268 terrorist incidents against Israel, costing five Israeli dead. \"During this period, we arrested 35 wanted terrorists, while Arafat arrested only one - and [based on past experience,] we don\'t know how much time he will remain in prison.\"
Prime Minister Sharon explained that Israel does not remit funds to the PA because \"we refuse to pay the salaries of those who murder us.\" He called upon the European Union, as well, not to send financial aid to the Palestinian Authority: \"Your money is used to buy weapons that are directed against the State of Israel.\" Sharon suggested that EU aid should be in the form of investments in the construction of factories. Verhofstadt acknowledged that there is a tendency to think that the EU is pro-Palestinian, but \"it\'s not true; we are neutral… There must be an arrangement, namely, two states side-by-side.\"
Sharon sharply attacked Yasser Arafat, saying that Israel faces \"terror and incitement originating with Arafat, who leads a coalition of terrorism with the participation of Hamas, Islamic Jihad, Hizbullah, Fatah, Tanzim, and Force 17.\"
\"Our purpose today,\" Sharon said, \"is to bring about a ceasefire and quiet. The negotiating staff that I have established, headed by myself and with the participation of Peres, will conduct talks for a ceasefire when there is quiet. When the terrorism stops, then we will be able to talk about peace.\"