Prime Minister Ariel Sharon told the Cabinet today that Palestinian terrorism and violence are continuing, and he does not see any actions by Arafat to stop them. IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Sha’ul Mofaz agrees. \"The PA has no genuine intention of stopping the terrorism,\" he said today at an appearance in a high school in Shfayim, north of Herzliya on the Mediterranean Coast. \"We see no practical signs of any preventive measures.\" Mofaz termed Arafat\'s ceasefire a \"false facade with which Arafat wants to see what diplomatic achievements he can get.\" Mofaz noted that since Sharon\'s announcement of a unilateral ceasefire, Palestinian terrorist attacks have killed 22 and wounded some 300. \"The PA gave the green light, and it has even released terrorist prisoners,\" Mofaz said.
Likud MK Moshe Arens, three-time Israeli Defense Minister, was asked today what is the point in trying to reach a ceasefire under the present circumstances. Arens responded,
\"I imagine that within 2-3 days we\'ll be able to see if it\'s at all realistic, i.e., if Arafat is interested in reaching a ceasefire, or if he is just playing with everyone as he has done in the past... There are some in the Likud, and I am among them, who are very concerned that this period of violence should not end up with diplomatic achievements for Arafat. [Regarding Defense Minister Ben-Eliezer\'s remark that Arafat has completed his historic function], I would say that history has shown that Arafat caused much damage not only to Israel but also to the Palestinians, and I don\'t think he\'s finished doing that…\"
Arutz-7\'s Haggai Seri noted, \"We learned today that in Bethlehem, members European Union officials, in coordination with the Pa\'s Jibril Rajoub, have established their own supervisory center over the ceasefire in that area. This, together with the American intervention, and the UN, doesn\'t it all indicate that in any event we are headed for that which we so much do not want, the internationalization of the conflict?\" Arens responded, \"We must do everything to prevent this, and if the Prime Minister in fact does everything to prevent it, then it won\'t happen. This is not the first attempt by the Europeans to try to get themselves involved, and in light of the history of European-Israeli relations, I don\'t think that there is any chance that [we will let] this happen. Nor do I think that the Americans will remove their veto from such a proposal [to send international observers].\"
Likud MK Moshe Arens, three-time Israeli Defense Minister, was asked today what is the point in trying to reach a ceasefire under the present circumstances. Arens responded,
\"I imagine that within 2-3 days we\'ll be able to see if it\'s at all realistic, i.e., if Arafat is interested in reaching a ceasefire, or if he is just playing with everyone as he has done in the past... There are some in the Likud, and I am among them, who are very concerned that this period of violence should not end up with diplomatic achievements for Arafat. [Regarding Defense Minister Ben-Eliezer\'s remark that Arafat has completed his historic function], I would say that history has shown that Arafat caused much damage not only to Israel but also to the Palestinians, and I don\'t think he\'s finished doing that…\"
Arutz-7\'s Haggai Seri noted, \"We learned today that in Bethlehem, members European Union officials, in coordination with the Pa\'s Jibril Rajoub, have established their own supervisory center over the ceasefire in that area. This, together with the American intervention, and the UN, doesn\'t it all indicate that in any event we are headed for that which we so much do not want, the internationalization of the conflict?\" Arens responded, \"We must do everything to prevent this, and if the Prime Minister in fact does everything to prevent it, then it won\'t happen. This is not the first attempt by the Europeans to try to get themselves involved, and in light of the history of European-Israeli relations, I don\'t think that there is any chance that [we will let] this happen. Nor do I think that the Americans will remove their veto from such a proposal [to send international observers].\"