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Israeli Interior Minister Frowns at Sharon's Visit to Temple Mount
Visiting Israeli Interior Minister Haim Ramon in Istanbul described Israeli opposition leader Ariel Sharon's visit to the Temple Mount as "a silly show," reported the Anatolia News Agency on Wednesday.
Ramon made the comment in reply to a question at a press conference on Tuesday evening in Istanbul where he opened an Israeli exhibition.
Sharon's visit to the Islamic holy site on Friday directly resulted in the week-long bloody clashes between the Palestinians and Israeli soldiers in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, which has so far led to the death of 58 Palestinians.
Ramon, however, fell short of terming sharon's ill-doing as a "provocation" as Palestinians charged.
Ramon expressed a strong desire for peace with the Palestinians, saying that many issues had been brought to the negotiation table and the two sides had come to the point of a solution in many issues like the borders and security. Yet, the biggest difference of opinion rests with Jerusalem, he said.
Ramon said that Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak had put forward very bold proposals to the Palestinian side, including the issue of Jerusalem, but the Palestinian side would not want to give up the holy sites.
Ramon said that the violence in the West Bank and Gaza Strip would not bring peace and profit to (Palestinian leader Yasser) Arafat and would negatively affect the Israeli public and increase lack of confidence, thus rendering the agreement basis more vulnerable.
Ramon said that the clashes took place in Jerusalem on the day of Sharon's visit, but added that spreading of the demonstrations to the West Bank and Gaza Strip is not logical.
Ramon called on Arafat to take decisive actions, claiming that if he fails to stop the violence, it will be a bigger mistake than Sharon's visit to the Temple Mount.
Ramon said that he could respect the sentiments of Arabs and Palestinians to the Temple Mount, but stressed that the holy sites in Jerusalem are also holy for Jews.
Ramon suggested that they should leave the conflicted issues to a later date as the peoples need time to find a solution.
On the talks which Arafat and Barak will hold in France, Ramon said he wants a solution to be found to the wave of violence and resumption of peace talks.
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