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Palestinians Sceptical About Sharon's Intention Toward Peace
Palestinian Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Nabil Shaath expressed doubts on Saturday about Israeli Prime Minister-elect Ariel Sharon's intention towards peace with the Palestinians.
Shaath told Radio Cairo from the Gaza Strip that "whoever listens to Sharon's sweet talk about peace would realize that this is nothing but an Israeli attempt to shape a new image" for him to lessen Arab and international pressure on the Israeli hardliner.
"The test will be on the negotiating table in a few days when it will be known whether there is a new Sharon, or the old Sharon in a new outfit," Shaath said.
He criticized Sharon's recent remarks that Israel will not resume talks from the point where both sides had stopped, saying that "in that case we should consider the battle open."
Sharon has indicated that he will refuse to abide by the commitments made by outgoing Prime Minister Ehud Barak's government, and will not resume negotiations on the basis of the Taba talks.
The Palestinians and Israel concluded six-day marathon negotiations late January in Egypt's Sinai resort of Taba after issuing a joint statement on progress that has been achieved.
Shaath said that if Sharon does not recognize the progress, he should observe the U.N. Security Council resolutions 242 and 338, which call for Israel's full withdrawal from the occupied Palestinian territories.
Sharon, leader of Israel's right-wing Likud party, won a crushing victory over Barak in Tuesday's prime ministerial election, casting a shadow over the future of the Mideast peace process.
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