Yasser Arafat wrote yesterday in his NY Times op-ed, \"We understand Israel\'s demographic concerns [and] the right of return of Palestinian refugees... must be implemented in a way that takes into account such concerns. \" Prime Minister Sharon summarily dismissed this last night, saying,
\"There is no demographic problem! What there is, is a basic problem of the first degree. The Jewish nation has one small tiny country, 20-something thousand square kilometers in its present boundaries, compared with over 12 million square kilometers in the Arab nations. There will be no \'right of return\' [for the Arabs of 1948]! This is a matter of principle.
Sharon also related to Arafat\'s stated \"vision of peace\" that is \"based on the complete end of the occupation and a return to Israel\'s 1967 borders, the sharing of all Jerusalem as one open city and as the capital of two states.\" Sharon said,
\"Jerusalem will not be divided. This must be understood. If Arafat had accepted the plan that was presented to him [by Barak and Clinton at Camp David], we would today be facing not only shooting on Gilo, but also shooting from the Old City walls into the heart of Jerusalem. He still demands Jerusalem, and he also still demands our return to the 1967 borders. Israel, if it wants to exist, cannot withdraw to the 1967 borders... He\'s great at words, but I would advise no one to be convinced by him...\"
\"There is no demographic problem! What there is, is a basic problem of the first degree. The Jewish nation has one small tiny country, 20-something thousand square kilometers in its present boundaries, compared with over 12 million square kilometers in the Arab nations. There will be no \'right of return\' [for the Arabs of 1948]! This is a matter of principle.
Sharon also related to Arafat\'s stated \"vision of peace\" that is \"based on the complete end of the occupation and a return to Israel\'s 1967 borders, the sharing of all Jerusalem as one open city and as the capital of two states.\" Sharon said,
\"Jerusalem will not be divided. This must be understood. If Arafat had accepted the plan that was presented to him [by Barak and Clinton at Camp David], we would today be facing not only shooting on Gilo, but also shooting from the Old City walls into the heart of Jerusalem. He still demands Jerusalem, and he also still demands our return to the 1967 borders. Israel, if it wants to exist, cannot withdraw to the 1967 borders... He\'s great at words, but I would advise no one to be convinced by him...\"