Sharon Allows Zinni to Meet Arafat

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Friday, April 05, 2002

Sharon Allows Zinni to Meet Arafat

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Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon on Thursday granted U.S. special Middle East envoy Anthony Zinni permission to meet Palestinian National Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat in his besieged headquarters in the West Bank city of Ramallah.

Sharon has vowed to keep Arafat isolated from contacts with the outside world as part of Israel's offensive in the West Bank.

The European Union sent a high-level mission to the Middle East on Thursday to try its hand at mediating a cease-fire, despite Israel's refusal to let them see the Palestinian leader.

In a meeting with Zinni, the prime minister said that the Israeli Defense Forces operation in the West Bank will continue.

Sharon said, "Israel demands the immediate extradition of wanted people and illegal weapon."

Sharon rejected the U.S. initiative to accelerate the diplomatic process, saying that "diplomatic negotiations carried out before Palestinian terror is suppressed will bring to an increase in terror."

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