Prime Minister Sharon reported to the Cabinet this morning on his clandestine meeting this past Wednesday with Arafat aides. He explained that his purpose was to tell PA officials Abu Ala, Mahmoud Abbas, and Mohammed Rashid that he rejects the formula that Foreign Minister Peres was working on with Abu Ala - namely, a ceasefire followed by the declaration of a Palestinian state on the 42% of Yesha presently under Palestinian Authority control. He said that he continues to adhere to his own program for an open-ended interim agreement, based on \"progress in the field.\" The Prime Minister said he would be willing to hold other such meetings with PA leaders.
Reactions on the left showed suspicion; Meretz MK Zahava Gal\'on said that the talks were designed to give the impression of progress on the eve of the Prime Minister\'s trip to Washington four days from now. Those on the right were roughly divided into two groups: Some said, \"Don\'t talk with the PA, dismantle it!\", while others said, \"The talks are OK as long as they don\'t deal with diplomatic issues.\"
MK Tzvi Hendel (National Union) demands that Sharon \"cease and desist\" such talks at once: \"It is inconceivable that while Gush Katif residents are under daily fire from Arafat\'s terrorists [see also below], Arafat\'s aides receive legitimacy from the Prime Minister... Sharon\'s explanations that he wants to neutralize the Peres-Abu Ala agreements are of some comfort - but it still cannot be said that he is meeting the PA in order to dismantle it, rescind Oslo and send all those terrorists back to Tunis…\" The Yesha Council, too, demanded an immediate halt to all talks, saying that they cause direct harm to Israel\'s security. Council spokesman Yehoshua Mor-Yosef told Arutz-7 today, \"Prime Minister Sharon said that the PA is a \'terrorist entity,\' and then he goes and meets with them. He didn\'t meet them in order to dismantle the PA, but rather to give in to them [by meeting with them while the terrorism continues].\" National Religious Party leader Rabbi Yitzchak Levy said, \"Sharon has rendered Arafat relevant once again by meeting those who speak for him...
Tourism Minister Benny Elon (National Union), however, told Arutz-7 this morning that he is still willing to \"give credit\" to Sharon as long as the talks center around \"tactical matters\" relating to the achievement of a ceasefire. Minister Tzippy Livny (Likud) said that she prefers that Sharon meet with the PA figures - not with the \"irrelevant Arafat\" - and not have Sharon\'s emissaries [such as his son Omri] meet with them.
Reactions on the left showed suspicion; Meretz MK Zahava Gal\'on said that the talks were designed to give the impression of progress on the eve of the Prime Minister\'s trip to Washington four days from now. Those on the right were roughly divided into two groups: Some said, \"Don\'t talk with the PA, dismantle it!\", while others said, \"The talks are OK as long as they don\'t deal with diplomatic issues.\"
MK Tzvi Hendel (National Union) demands that Sharon \"cease and desist\" such talks at once: \"It is inconceivable that while Gush Katif residents are under daily fire from Arafat\'s terrorists [see also below], Arafat\'s aides receive legitimacy from the Prime Minister... Sharon\'s explanations that he wants to neutralize the Peres-Abu Ala agreements are of some comfort - but it still cannot be said that he is meeting the PA in order to dismantle it, rescind Oslo and send all those terrorists back to Tunis…\" The Yesha Council, too, demanded an immediate halt to all talks, saying that they cause direct harm to Israel\'s security. Council spokesman Yehoshua Mor-Yosef told Arutz-7 today, \"Prime Minister Sharon said that the PA is a \'terrorist entity,\' and then he goes and meets with them. He didn\'t meet them in order to dismantle the PA, but rather to give in to them [by meeting with them while the terrorism continues].\" National Religious Party leader Rabbi Yitzchak Levy said, \"Sharon has rendered Arafat relevant once again by meeting those who speak for him...
Tourism Minister Benny Elon (National Union), however, told Arutz-7 this morning that he is still willing to \"give credit\" to Sharon as long as the talks center around \"tactical matters\" relating to the achievement of a ceasefire. Minister Tzippy Livny (Likud) said that she prefers that Sharon meet with the PA figures - not with the \"irrelevant Arafat\" - and not have Sharon\'s emissaries [such as his son Omri] meet with them.