January 30, 2003

Sharon rebuffs Arafat's post-election overtures

By LAMIA LAHOUD and news agencies

In his first comment following the election, Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat said Wednesday that he is ready to meet immediately with Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and resume negotiations with Israel, but his offer was immediately rejected by Sharon.

Asked by Channel 10 if he is willing to meet with Sharon, Arafat said: "Tonight! If he's ready, I'm ready." Arafat noted that he used to meet with Sharon's son, Omri, adding that "we hope to return as soon as possible to discussions." Arafat added he is willing to call for a general cease-fire in order to return peace to "the land of peace."

The Prime Minister's Office responded by saying that Arafat continues to "fund, initiate, operate, and dispatch terrorism, and will not be a negotiating partner." "Within the framework of Israel's efforts to further a diplomatic process and bring about quiet and finally peace," the statement read, "Israel will be willing to talk only with Palestinians who are not involved with terror in any shape or form."

Bassam Abu Sharif, an adviser to Arafat, said he hoped Labor would be persuaded to join a national-unity government with Likud and Shinui so that the new Israeli government could renew peace negotiations with the Palestinians. He then that this stressed that this was his personal opinion since the PA does not want to interfere in Israel's internal politics. Abu Sharif argued that Sharon needs both Labor and Arafat to fulfill US President George W. Bush's vision of an independent Palestinian state by 2005. "The PA is ready to renew negotiations with any government," he said.

"In my view...Labor and Shinui must join a coalition with the Likud, because such a coalition with 70% of the Knesset seats can lead to the renewal of the peace process." He said Labor Party chairman Amram Mitzna's statements that he will not enter any government headed by Sharon should be regarded as election propaganda. "Now the elections are over and a new reality looms," he added.

However other Palestinian sources defended Mitzna's stand saying that they did not believe Sharon was serious about implementing the road map for peace and Bush's two-state vision. "Labor can only renew itself and offer an alternative by staying in the opposition," one PA source said.

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