Palestinian minister Saeb Erakat said that Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's reported regrets that he did not eliminate Yasser Arafat 20 years ago show that he still wants to kill the Palestinian leader.
"This statement, in which Sharon said he regretted not having killed Yasser Arafat, means he still wants to kill him now, and shows the mindset of a mafioso and a guerrilla rather than of a prime minister," the Palestinian negotiator told AFP.
"We strongly condemn such statement and ask the United States to stop Sharon before it's too late," commented Erakat.
He said Washington "should stop treating the Sharon government and Israel as a country that is above the law."
The Israeli daily Maariv published an interview with Sharon Thursday in which he said he should have given the order for Arafat to be "liquidated" when Israel invaded Lebanon in 1982 to chase out the PLO. Sharon was defence minister at that time while Arafat, chairman of the PLO, was based in Beirut.
Meanwhile, the United States rebuked these comments by Sharon. "I didn't have any particular comment. Obviously we look to both sides, including the Israeli government, to avoid remarks that inflame the situation... Remarks like these can be unhelpful," said State Department spokesman Richard Boucher.
Sharon's interview also drew harsh criticism from Spanish Foreign Minister Josep Pique, whose country holds the European Union presidency. "I deplore them, and they should not be accepted," Pique said.
King Abdullah, Powell Meet
U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell told King Abdullah II of Jordan on Thursday that the United States plans to corner Arafat to make sure he curbs attacks on Israel.
A senior U.S. official disclosed to AFP that Powell transferred this message to the king in their 45-minute session in Powell's State Department office and that Abdullah accepted the tactic as a good idea.
There was no immediate public reaction from the Jordanian side to the US version of the meeting between Powell and Abdullah, who had been expected to press Washington not to isolate Arafat.
Speaking to reporters, the Jordanian monarch affirmed the urgent need that US plays a more dynamic role to defuse tensions in the occupied Palestinian territories, to help Palestinians and Israelis resume stalled Mideast peace talks and to alleviate the
plight of the Palestinian people.
The King said that "we hope, through the continuous support of the US and international community, will reach a just solution that ensures security for Palestinians and Israelis and helps halt the upsurge of fatal violence".
"It is evident Palestinian and Israelis, alike, are eager to end continuous suffering," the King added, saying "I hope my visit will be an opportunity to come up with mechanisms to alleviate desperation and to look forward to a future full of peace and security and stability".
Abdullah credited Bush with a balanced approach to the Israeli-Palestinian dispute, and cautioned that any U.S. attack on Iraq would destabilize the region.
Powell for his part hailed Jordan's firm backing to peace efforts and world peace. "We exchanged views on the regional situation and on hopes to enforce a ceasefire conducive to reviving stalled Mideast peace talks to be conducted on a sound basis and according to Security Council Resolutions 242 and 338," Powel added.
Powell reiterated his country's commitment to set up a Palestinian viable state along with Israel where each respects the sovereignty of the other, saying " this US pledge was stated by President Bush in his speech at the United Nations UN headquarters last Fall".
"We tried to crystallize our vision of Palestinian statehood within a framework, that achieves aspirations for both parties and we sent retired Marine Corps General Anthony Zinni to the region to work to that end. We made some successes, but unfortunately, there was a surge of lethal violence the last few weeks," Powell noted.
"The American administration will reconsider the return of Zinni to the region when appropriate time comes. US is closely following up regional developments, " he conveyed.
The Jordanian king is due to see Bush on Friday. (Albawaba.com)
© 2002 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
