Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon Sunday said that Yasser Arafat is a real terrorist and negotiating peace with him would be hard-pressed. He added that Israel could settle a peace deal with pragmatic people in the Palestinian Authority. Although it`s hard to believe that one can get into an agreement with Arafat, who is a real terrorist himself, there are people in the Palestinian Authority who are more pragmatic, Sharon said in an interview.
The Israeli leader did not say who these pragmatic people were but said Israel was not going to act against Arafat personally. The Israeli military has hit targets close to Arafat`s headquarters, including his personal helicopters.
Sharon said the destruction of the helicopters was aimed at restricting the Palestinian leader`s freedom of movement.
“We restricted his movements in order to force him to take action,” the prime minister said. “He`s free now but does not have time to go abroad.” Sharon said he believed in a gradual solution of the Palestinian problem but pointed out that on some issues Israel would not budge.
There are problems to which there are no answers, namely, the question of Jerusalem, he said. “I believe Jerusalem is the capital of the Jewish people and the capital of the state of Israel, united and undivided forever,” he continued. Of course, the Palestinians don`t accept that. The other issue is the right of return of the Palestinian refugees.
Bureau Report