Prime Minister Sharon held a meeting last night, with Defense Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer, IDF Chief-of-Staff Lt.-Gen. Shaul Mofaz and other security officials in anticipation of U.S. Gen. Anthony Zinni\'s arrival tomorrow. Sharon ordered a series of measures, including the removal of roadblocks, designed to ease restrictions on the Arab population. The move comes despite security warnings that Arabs in PLO-controlled areas are still planning severe terrorist attacks.
During Zinni\'s previous trip, numerous attacks massacred scores of Israelis. The deadliest included the December 1 suicide bombing in downtown Jerusalem that claimed the lives of 10 Israelis and injured 180, and the December 2 suicide mission on a bus in Haifa that left 15 Israelis dead and injured 46. Following the atrocities, Zinni was called back to Washington for “consultations.”
Sharon met today with Norwegian Foreign Minister Jan Petersen. The Prime Minister said that
the decline in the number of terrorist incidents stems from Israel\'s counter-terrorist operations and the international pressure on Arafat. Sharon told his guest that the PLO leader is neither carrying out counter-terrorist operations nor making arrests; he has not arrested the assassins of Minister Rechavam Ze\'evi or the PFLP leaders who dispatched them, whose whereabouts are known to him.
Prime Minister Sharon clarified that Israel would not conduct diplomatic negotiations under fire and added that the way to make progress towards the discussion table is a complete cessation of all Arab violence and incitement. Sharon reiterated the agreed-upon timetable that after 7 days of \"absolute\" quiet, the Tenet plan countdown -- a six-week “cooling-off period” and a three-month period of confidence-building measures -- can begin.
Also on last night’s agenda was Mofaz\'s upcoming trip to the United States. The Chief of Staff is scheduled to leave for Washington this week to meet with top US officials about the current situation in Israel, including National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice and Secretary of State Colin Powell.
During Zinni\'s previous trip, numerous attacks massacred scores of Israelis. The deadliest included the December 1 suicide bombing in downtown Jerusalem that claimed the lives of 10 Israelis and injured 180, and the December 2 suicide mission on a bus in Haifa that left 15 Israelis dead and injured 46. Following the atrocities, Zinni was called back to Washington for “consultations.”
Sharon met today with Norwegian Foreign Minister Jan Petersen. The Prime Minister said that
the decline in the number of terrorist incidents stems from Israel\'s counter-terrorist operations and the international pressure on Arafat. Sharon told his guest that the PLO leader is neither carrying out counter-terrorist operations nor making arrests; he has not arrested the assassins of Minister Rechavam Ze\'evi or the PFLP leaders who dispatched them, whose whereabouts are known to him.
Prime Minister Sharon clarified that Israel would not conduct diplomatic negotiations under fire and added that the way to make progress towards the discussion table is a complete cessation of all Arab violence and incitement. Sharon reiterated the agreed-upon timetable that after 7 days of \"absolute\" quiet, the Tenet plan countdown -- a six-week “cooling-off period” and a three-month period of confidence-building measures -- can begin.
Also on last night’s agenda was Mofaz\'s upcoming trip to the United States. The Chief of Staff is scheduled to leave for Washington this week to meet with top US officials about the current situation in Israel, including National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice and Secretary of State Colin Powell.