The Cabinet held its weekly meeting this morning in the shadow of the unprecedented escalation in the Oslo War. No decisions were made, although several ministers called on Prime Minister Sharon to finally hold the discussion he has long promised on what should be Israel\'s strategic approach to the Palestinian Authority. The mini-security cabinet will convene at 8:30 this evening, where decisions on how best to attack the PA might be made.
National Infrastructures Minister Avigdor Lieberman said that the Palestinian Authority must be dismantled, Arafat must be expelled, and the autonomous areas must be divided up into self-ruled cantons. Ministers Limor Livnat and Tzippy Livny called for the government to dismantle the PA, while Minister Danny Naveh said beforehand that there is no choice but to \"make a strategic decision\" vis-a-vis the Palestinian Authority. MK Tzvi Hendel (National Union-Yisrael Beiteinu) said, \"Much blood will be spilt until we return the murderers back to Tunis [where the PLO was stationed before Oslo].\" MK Michael Kleiner (Herut) made a similar call. MK Sha\'ul Yahalom (National Religious Party) called on the government to enter all terrorist-base areas \"without any diplomatic or territorial limitations.\"
Left-wing ministers such as Raanan Cohen (Labor) said that the diplomatic path must not be abandoned, although Israel must search for alternatives to Arafat. Transportation Minister Ephraim Sneh (Labor) said that expelling Arafat and dismantling the PA would lead to \"total anarchy.\" He said that there \"must be a diplomatic solution, because if there isn\'t, we are doomed to a continued conflict.\"
Some 70 residents of Shilo gathered for a spontaneous demonstration outside the Prime Minister\'s Office to demand that the government put an end to the terrorism by dismantling the Palestinian Authority. The Yesha Council has called for citizens to demonstrate outside the Prime Minister\'s residence in Jerusalem at 7PM this evening.
National Infrastructures Minister Avigdor Lieberman said that the Palestinian Authority must be dismantled, Arafat must be expelled, and the autonomous areas must be divided up into self-ruled cantons. Ministers Limor Livnat and Tzippy Livny called for the government to dismantle the PA, while Minister Danny Naveh said beforehand that there is no choice but to \"make a strategic decision\" vis-a-vis the Palestinian Authority. MK Tzvi Hendel (National Union-Yisrael Beiteinu) said, \"Much blood will be spilt until we return the murderers back to Tunis [where the PLO was stationed before Oslo].\" MK Michael Kleiner (Herut) made a similar call. MK Sha\'ul Yahalom (National Religious Party) called on the government to enter all terrorist-base areas \"without any diplomatic or territorial limitations.\"
Left-wing ministers such as Raanan Cohen (Labor) said that the diplomatic path must not be abandoned, although Israel must search for alternatives to Arafat. Transportation Minister Ephraim Sneh (Labor) said that expelling Arafat and dismantling the PA would lead to \"total anarchy.\" He said that there \"must be a diplomatic solution, because if there isn\'t, we are doomed to a continued conflict.\"
Some 70 residents of Shilo gathered for a spontaneous demonstration outside the Prime Minister\'s Office to demand that the government put an end to the terrorism by dismantling the Palestinian Authority. The Yesha Council has called for citizens to demonstrate outside the Prime Minister\'s residence in Jerusalem at 7PM this evening.