Sharon Vows to Continue Tough Action Against Palestinians

Home>>World

Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Monday, April 01, 2002

Sharon Vows to Continue Tough Action Against Palestinians

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon Sunday night vowed to continue his tough action against Palestinians in his televised address to the nation, saying the only way to achieve peace is to wipe out what he called "terror infrastructure."
Sharon does not have any political agenda, but a military plan, to end the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, Palestinian Information Minister Yasser Abed Rabbo said.

DISCUSSION

CHINESE

SEND TO FRIEND

Palestinians Protest Against Israel Military Operation

Palestinian Information Minister Yasser Abed Rabbo said on Sunday that Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon does not have any political agenda, but a military plan, to end the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

"I don't think that by killing, murder and destroy a leader would be able to solve the conflict between occupied people and a state that occupies them," said Abed Rabbo in reaction to Sharon's televised address to his nation Sunday night.

Sharon said in his address that Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat "is behind this terrorism," and that he (Arafat) "is Israel's enemy and the enemy of the free world."

"Sharon only wants to get the support of his people and recruit them for his foolish war. Sharon did not bring anything new, and this has been always his style in leading the conflict," said Abed Rabbo.

The Suspect of the Suicide Bombing

In his Sunday address, Sharon also said that there is no difference between Palestinian suicide bombing attacks inside Israel and the September 11 terror attacks on New York and Washington.

Abed Rabbo said "Sharon wants to make a similarity between his situation and what happened in the United States in order to keep the U.S. support he got yesterday (Saturday) from U.S. President George W. Bush."

All the Palestinian attacks carried out inside Israel, all the violence and deterioration in the situation are "Sharon's responsibility," Abed Rabbo said, adding they were caused by Sharon's crazy policy against defenseless people.

Earlier on Sunday, Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, who has been confined to his private office in the West Bank town of Ramallah since Friday, received a group of 32 foreigners from Europe and the United States, who came to Ramallah to show solidarity with the Palestinian leader.

Also on Sunday, the Israeli army declared the city of Ramallah aclosed military zone and even reporters are barred from it.

Sharon Vows to Continue Tough Action Against Palestinians

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon Sunday night vowed to continue his tough action against Palestinians in his televised address to the nation, saying the only way to achieve peace is to wipe out what he called "terror infrastructure."

Sharon said that since he came to power more than a year ago, hehad made "every effort" to achieve a ceasefire with the Palestinians, only to be answered with terror attacks.

"No compromise can be made with terrorism," said Sharon, who accused Palestinian National Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat of operating an infrastructure of "terrorism."

He declared Arafat to be an enemy of the Israeli people and a "stumbling block to peace and a danger to the region."

Sharon said that while Israel still "extends a hand of peace" to the Palestinian people, the Palestinian "infrastructure of terrorism" has to be uprooted so as to pave the way for a politicalsettlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The hawkish prime minister said that his country is in a difficult situation and called on his people to be united and strong in the face of the ongoing crisis.

Earlier on Sunday, Sharon convened his security cabinet to discuss the next moves towards the Palestinians in the aftermath of increasing Palestinian bombing attacks. The security cabinet decided to step up military actions in the Palestinian areas.

In response to Sharon's address, Palestinian chief negotiator and Minister of Local Government Saeb Erekat said that the region is "in Sharon's hand" and that Sharon's policy is causing the situation to go from bad to worse.

Erekat challenged Sharon to implement U.N. Resolution 1402 passed on Saturday which called for Israel to withdraw from the Palestinian-controlled areas.

The Palestinian minister urged Israel to implement the internationally acknowledged Tenet plan and the Mitchell report with the help of the United States so as to resume the stalled peace process and end Israeli occupation.

He also rejected Sharon's comparison of the Palestinian suicide bombing attacks to the September 11 terror attacks in the United States, saying that Sharon's policy will not bring peace and security to either side.

Questions?Comments? Click here

Israeli Army Kills 30 Palestinians in Ramallah

Report: Israelis in Arafat's Office

>> Full Coverage