Prime Minister Ariel Sharon calls upon Russian Jewry to immigrate en-masse to Israel. Appearing before representatives of the Jewish community in Moscow last night, Sharon said that Israel needs another million Jews in the coming years in order to guarantee its Jewish majority. He spoke of the success Israel has had over the past decade in absorbing the previous wave of a million Russian Jews, and expressed his confidence that it can be done again.
Meeting with reporters in Moscow this morning, Sharon strongly attacked Yasser Arafat, calling him a \"major obstacle to peace\" and associating him with arch-terrorist Bin Laden. Sharon ruled out any resumption of negotiations at this time, saying that the PLO leader \"understands only pressure.\" He further said that Arafat cooperates with Bin Laden, Hamas, Hizbullah, and many other groups in his terrorism against Israel. Foreign Minister Shimon Peres, on the other hand, said this morning that he intends to conduct a \"series of meetings\" with Arafat, \"for the purpose of stopping the violence and implementing the Mitchell Report.\"
Prime Minister Sharon said clearly that the most important part of his visit was meeting with Jewish representatives. He was in a Chabad synagogue yesterday, then in a Jewish Agency Hebrew-study program, and then met with parents who have children in Israel. \"When he met a mother with two sons in the IDF, who said she plans to come soon with her other son, he was beaming with happiness,\" reported Yoram Levy of Itim News Agency.
Israel\'s ambassador to Russia, Natan Meron, said that Israel\'s relations with Russia are better today than they have ever been, and \"the Russian leadership is very open towards Israel.\" Russian President Putin told Sharon that only a strong Israel can contribute to stability in the Middle East, said Meron. On the other hand, Putin did not hold a joint press conference with his visitor, as is customary, and the Russian media had criticism of Sharon for his sudden cancellation of his visit to the Duma (Russian parliament). Sharon staffers said that the Duma was dropped from the itinerary long ago.
Upon his return to Israel this afternoon, the Prime Minister convened a security briefing with the participation of Ministers Peres and Meridor, Deputy Defense Minister Rabin-Pilossof, and senior security and military figures.
Meeting with reporters in Moscow this morning, Sharon strongly attacked Yasser Arafat, calling him a \"major obstacle to peace\" and associating him with arch-terrorist Bin Laden. Sharon ruled out any resumption of negotiations at this time, saying that the PLO leader \"understands only pressure.\" He further said that Arafat cooperates with Bin Laden, Hamas, Hizbullah, and many other groups in his terrorism against Israel. Foreign Minister Shimon Peres, on the other hand, said this morning that he intends to conduct a \"series of meetings\" with Arafat, \"for the purpose of stopping the violence and implementing the Mitchell Report.\"
Prime Minister Sharon said clearly that the most important part of his visit was meeting with Jewish representatives. He was in a Chabad synagogue yesterday, then in a Jewish Agency Hebrew-study program, and then met with parents who have children in Israel. \"When he met a mother with two sons in the IDF, who said she plans to come soon with her other son, he was beaming with happiness,\" reported Yoram Levy of Itim News Agency.
Israel\'s ambassador to Russia, Natan Meron, said that Israel\'s relations with Russia are better today than they have ever been, and \"the Russian leadership is very open towards Israel.\" Russian President Putin told Sharon that only a strong Israel can contribute to stability in the Middle East, said Meron. On the other hand, Putin did not hold a joint press conference with his visitor, as is customary, and the Russian media had criticism of Sharon for his sudden cancellation of his visit to the Duma (Russian parliament). Sharon staffers said that the Duma was dropped from the itinerary long ago.
Upon his return to Israel this afternoon, the Prime Minister convened a security briefing with the participation of Ministers Peres and Meridor, Deputy Defense Minister Rabin-Pilossof, and senior security and military figures.