Voices on the right, and even within the Likud, are critical of the negotiations that the Sharon government has initiated with the Palestinians. Although Sharon says that the talks are not diplomatic in nature and deal only with the need to stop the violence, Likud MK Michael Eitan says that Sharon was elected with a national mandate to wage a totally different policy than that of Ehud Barak. \"Sharon promised not to talk with Arafat as long as the warfare continues,\" Eitan said. In addition to the Yaalon-Dahlan talks in Tel Aviv last night, Sharon\'s son Omri met with Arafat on Sunday in Ramallah, and Foreign Minister Shimon Peres met in Athens yesterday with PA seniors Nabil Shaath and Saeb Erekat.
The Yesha Council, too, is not happy with the Israeli-Palestinian meetings. The Council convened last night and called upon Sharon to apologize to Ehud Barak for criticizing him for \"conducting talks under fire.\" Council leaders will meet with the heads of all the right-wing parties next week to discuss what protest measures will be taken against Sharon.
Uri Shani, director of the Prime Minister\'s Office, said that the talks are designed only to prevent terrorist attacks, and called upon the public to be patient. \"In the end, Sharon will put an end to the terrorism,\" Shani promised.
Minister of Infrastructures Avigdor Lieberman (National Union-Yisrael Beiteinu) spoke with Arutz-7 today about the talks and the criticism thereof: \"I can\'t deny that there is some feeling of discomfort, but on the other hand there is clearly a change from the previous government - for instance, the actions against Force 17 and Islamic Jihad, with the accompanying results... I can only say that Sharon told us categorically yesterday that there are no diplomatic talks, but only an attempt to reach security coordination. The impression is that the Israeli side stood our ground on these issues... I\'m not totally unperturbed, but we knew ahead of time that this government is comprised of parties other than ourselves, and some compromises are required... I would have liked to see more determination and more initiatives.\"
The Yesha Council, too, is not happy with the Israeli-Palestinian meetings. The Council convened last night and called upon Sharon to apologize to Ehud Barak for criticizing him for \"conducting talks under fire.\" Council leaders will meet with the heads of all the right-wing parties next week to discuss what protest measures will be taken against Sharon.
Uri Shani, director of the Prime Minister\'s Office, said that the talks are designed only to prevent terrorist attacks, and called upon the public to be patient. \"In the end, Sharon will put an end to the terrorism,\" Shani promised.
Minister of Infrastructures Avigdor Lieberman (National Union-Yisrael Beiteinu) spoke with Arutz-7 today about the talks and the criticism thereof: \"I can\'t deny that there is some feeling of discomfort, but on the other hand there is clearly a change from the previous government - for instance, the actions against Force 17 and Islamic Jihad, with the accompanying results... I can only say that Sharon told us categorically yesterday that there are no diplomatic talks, but only an attempt to reach security coordination. The impression is that the Israeli side stood our ground on these issues... I\'m not totally unperturbed, but we knew ahead of time that this government is comprised of parties other than ourselves, and some compromises are required... I would have liked to see more determination and more initiatives.\"