Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said on Monday that Israel has no plans to kill Yasser Arafat but blamed the veteran Palestinian leader for the deaths of thousands of civilians.
”I don’t see any plans to kill him although the man is responsible for the deaths of thousands of Jews, mostly civilians,” Sharon told reporters at a press conference along with members of the European Parliament in Jerusalem.
”You don’t have to worry. He’s [Arafat] alive and very active in taking all steps … to murder civilians.”
Sharon’s security cabinet approved in principle Arafat’s removal from his West Bank headquarters last month, with one senior minister suggesting that his assassination was an option.
However, Sharon temporarily ruled out Arafat’s expulsion earlier this month, telling the Jerusalem Post newspaper that ”the opinion of our intelligence services is that expelling him would not be a good idea.”
While Sharon has labelled Arafat the ”greatest obstacle” to peace, Washington has warned his government off ”counterproductive” moves against the Palestinian leader.
”Taking actions against Arafat could prove counterproductive and would not be helpful,” United States State Department spokesperson Adam Ereli said last week.
Industry Minister Ehud Olmert, the official number two in Sharon’s government, sparked widespread international condemnation last month when he suggested that ”liquidating” Arafat was an option.
However, other government ministers quickly moved to distance themselves from his comments. — Sapa-AFP