Three left-wing MKs: Zehava Gal\'on (Meretz), Naomi Chazan (Meretz),and Collette Avital (Labor), visited PLO chieftain Yasser Arafat in Ramallah today. Speaking with Voice of Israel radio prior to the meeting, Avital said that the group\'s goal was \"to renew dialogue between the sides and to stop the cycle of violence.\" During the meeting, MK Gal\'on reportedly conveyed a message to Arafat from Defense Minister Ben-Eliezer. Two days ago, Labor MK Yossi Katz, too, went to speak to Arafat, and later said that he did so with the blessing of a government figure whom he did not identify. Yesterday, Tekoa rabbi Menachem Furman was disappointed when, after being picked up at home an official Arafat escort, he was stopped at a nearby IDF roadblock and not allowed to proceed further.
Late this afternoon, the Prime Minister\'s Office finally confirmed today\'s Ma\'ariv report that Ariel Sharon\'s son, Omri, met with Yasser Arafat on Sunday in the latter\'s Ramallah headquarters. Yossi Ginossar - known for his intimate business connections with PLO officials - also attended the meeting. Sharon\'s office stated that Omri Sharon conveyed an unequivocal demand to Arafat to call a halt to the PLO mini-war in Judea and Samaria and Gaza. The Council of Jewish Communities in Judea, Samaria and Gaza (Yesha) expressed concern that the Sharon-Arafat meeting is just the first step in a return to diplomatic negotiations with Arafat.
Late this afternoon, the Prime Minister\'s Office finally confirmed today\'s Ma\'ariv report that Ariel Sharon\'s son, Omri, met with Yasser Arafat on Sunday in the latter\'s Ramallah headquarters. Yossi Ginossar - known for his intimate business connections with PLO officials - also attended the meeting. Sharon\'s office stated that Omri Sharon conveyed an unequivocal demand to Arafat to call a halt to the PLO mini-war in Judea and Samaria and Gaza. The Council of Jewish Communities in Judea, Samaria and Gaza (Yesha) expressed concern that the Sharon-Arafat meeting is just the first step in a return to diplomatic negotiations with Arafat.