The Knesset convened for a special one-day summer recess session today. At the request of the required minimum of 25 Knesset Members, the legislature met to discuss a number of issues, including the heavily-slashed 2003 budget that was recently approved by the Cabinet. The war against terrorism was also on the agenda, and new MK Orit Noked (Labor) was sworn in; she replaces Shlomo Ben-Ami, who resigned last week in protest of his party's continued membership in the Sharon government.
Prime Minister Sharon, who appeared before the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, said that as long as Arafat leads the PA, "terrorism will not cease and there will be no chance for a negotiated settlement." He said, however, that the diplomatic and military contacts with the PA would continue.
The committee session became stormy when Herut MK Michael Kleiner suggested that as part of Israel's war against terrorism, it bomb heavily-populated Palestinian areas from the air. Kleiner said that Palestinians such as the 100,000 who attended the funeral of Hamas arch-terrorist Saleh Shehadeh are not innocent. MK Ran Cohen (Meretz) said that there is no difference between Kleiner's suggestion and PLO terrorist attacks.
Prime Minister Sharon, who appeared before the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, said that as long as Arafat leads the PA, "terrorism will not cease and there will be no chance for a negotiated settlement." He said, however, that the diplomatic and military contacts with the PA would continue.
The committee session became stormy when Herut MK Michael Kleiner suggested that as part of Israel's war against terrorism, it bomb heavily-populated Palestinian areas from the air. Kleiner said that Palestinians such as the 100,000 who attended the funeral of Hamas arch-terrorist Saleh Shehadeh are not innocent. MK Ran Cohen (Meretz) said that there is no difference between Kleiner's suggestion and PLO terrorist attacks.