Killing Yasser Arafat is one of the options the Israeli government has when it comes to putting into action the security cabinet's decision last week, in principle, to remove the Palestinian leader, Israel's deputy Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Sunday.
"We are trying to wipe out all the terror leaders and Arafat is one of the terror leaders," Olmert told Israel Radio. "In my eyes, from a moral point of view, this is no different from killing others who were involved in...acts of terror. It's only a practical question. What is the benefit? What will the reaction be? What circumstances will allow this?"
Olmert said that expelling Arafat or ensuring he was completely cut off in his Ramallah compound were also options for the government.
Meanwhile, former Israeli prime minister Shimon Peres, said it would be a “historic mistake” which would strengthen the hand of Arafat and fuel the violence.
Peres noted that Ariel Sharon had failed to bolster the “roadmap” by meeting commitments or making concessions.
"I thought Sharon would release more prisoners. We promised (to dismantle) the outlawed settlements. In fact, nothing happened. Now we are building a fence that has political repercussions. We said we shall hand over Gaza, but we did not," he said. (Albawba.com)
© 2003 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
