Defense Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer held a security consultation this afternoon with Prime Minister Sharon, in light of the increased threat of escalated violence in the region. For the same reason, Ben-Eliezer cancelled a weeklong trip to the U.S., scheduled to have begun tomorrow. He said today that the government has no intention of causing the collapse of the Palestinian Authority, \"as the right wing demands,\" and expressed the hope that the U.S. will pressure the Palestinians to stop their attacks. In a different forum, Ben-Eliezer said that the army cannot guarantee the safety of \"every single settler.\" For this, MK Sha\'ul Yahalom demanded Ben-Eliezer\'s resignation.
Foreign Minister Shimon Peres did not participate in the meeting with Sharon today; instead, he is on a two-day visit to England, where he will meet with Prime Minister Tony Blair and other British leaders.
Deputy Minister Avi Yechezkel (Labor) has joined several Likud MKs in opposing continued contacts with Yasser Arafat. Yechezkel said that neither Foreign Minister Peres nor Omri Sharon should meet with Arafat, as the principle of \"no negotiations under fire\" must be absolute.
Foreign Minister Shimon Peres did not participate in the meeting with Sharon today; instead, he is on a two-day visit to England, where he will meet with Prime Minister Tony Blair and other British leaders.
Deputy Minister Avi Yechezkel (Labor) has joined several Likud MKs in opposing continued contacts with Yasser Arafat. Yechezkel said that neither Foreign Minister Peres nor Omri Sharon should meet with Arafat, as the principle of \"no negotiations under fire\" must be absolute.