It was learned over the weekend that Ariel Sharon met over the past few days with Abu Ala, the head of the PA Legislative Council. Dov Weisglass, Director of the Prime Minister's Office, departed for Jordan this morning to brief its Foreign Minister on the recent highest-level Israeli-PA talks. Sharon's staffers say that further talks of this nature will continue; the goal is try to reach a ceasefire in exchange for an IDF withdrawal from some of the Arab cities in Judea and Samaria.
Others say that the purpose of the talks was more political than diplomatic. It is felt that this was Sharon's way of hinting to Amram Mitzna, Shimon Peres and the rest of the Labor Party that he will implement their policies and that it would be worth their while to join the coalition government. Israel Television reported last night that the information was leaked at this juncture in order to prove to the Labor Party, which has been reticent about joining a unity government, that Sharon is serious about holding negotiations with the Palestinians.
Labor MK Ophir Pines said that Sharon had thus veered sharply away from his promised policies and had won re-election "on false premises." Shimon Peres said that talking with the Palestinians is important, but that it must lead to actions.
In a related item, Yediot Acharonot reported today that Israel will throw Yasser Arafat out of Yesha if he refuses to appoint a Prime Minister with full authority to run the PA. The report stated that this was a recent joint decision of Prime Minister Sharon and U.S. President George Bush. A senior Israeli official is quoted as saying that the White House sees Arafat and Saddam Hussein as equally repugnant.
Others say that the purpose of the talks was more political than diplomatic. It is felt that this was Sharon's way of hinting to Amram Mitzna, Shimon Peres and the rest of the Labor Party that he will implement their policies and that it would be worth their while to join the coalition government. Israel Television reported last night that the information was leaked at this juncture in order to prove to the Labor Party, which has been reticent about joining a unity government, that Sharon is serious about holding negotiations with the Palestinians.
Labor MK Ophir Pines said that Sharon had thus veered sharply away from his promised policies and had won re-election "on false premises." Shimon Peres said that talking with the Palestinians is important, but that it must lead to actions.
In a related item, Yediot Acharonot reported today that Israel will throw Yasser Arafat out of Yesha if he refuses to appoint a Prime Minister with full authority to run the PA. The report stated that this was a recent joint decision of Prime Minister Sharon and U.S. President George Bush. A senior Israeli official is quoted as saying that the White House sees Arafat and Saddam Hussein as equally repugnant.