Sharon Slams Arafat for Call to Halt Attacks Before Elections

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Monday, January 13, 2003

Sharon Slams Arafat for Call to Halt Attacks Before Elections

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Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon on Sunday slammed Palestinian National Authority (PNA) Chairman Yasser Arafat, saying Arafat's call to end attacks ahead of Israeli elections shows he is "in control of terror."

Speaking at the opening of the weekly Cabinet session, Sharon gave Arafat's call such an interpretation that "long before the elections, it's possible to murder, close to the elections, it's best to stop, and after the elections it's desirable to continue."

In a Palestinian cabinet statement released Saturday, Arafat said he rejects "all acts of violence that target Palestinian and Israeli civilians."

"Attacks against Israeli civilians have severely harmed our cause in the international arena and in Israeli public opinion," Arafat said.

"As the Israeli election date is getting closer, we appeal to all our people to practice self-restraint," the Palestinian leader said.

During the past year, Arafat repeatedly called on militants to halt suicide bombings and other attacks on Israeli civilians, despite the Israeli and US policy to sideline him.

As anti-Israel attacks continue, Israel describes Arafat's efforts as "disingenuous."

Israel's Labor party Chairman Amram Mitzna also criticized Arafat's call to stop terrorist attacks ahead of the Jan. 28 general elections.

Mitzna said the Palestinian leadership should fight at all timesagainst terrorism, which he said is the main obstacle to peace.

"Arafat can not depend on internal Israeli events and can not limit his opposition to terror to certain dates," Mitzna said.

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