By Munir K. Nasser
Chief correspondent, Washington, DC
Albawaba.com
Israeli opposition leader Ariel Sharon defiantly announced in a speech in New York on Monday that he plans to visit Al-Haram al-Sharif compound again in the future, repeating his September visit which triggered the current Palestinian Intifada.
Speaking at a forum sponsored by the New York Post, Sharon told his audience "I went there to visit the holiest place of the Jewish people. And I hope I will be doing that in the future as well. No restrictions. We live in a free country. Everywhere."
Sharon claimed that his “legitimate visit to the Temple Mount served only as a poor excuse to launch this premeditated, orchestrated campaign."
Sharon, along with Israeli officials had accused the Palestinian leadership of investing the event and “orchestrate violence” against the Israelis.
Sharon, whose visit to New York is perceived by analysts as an attempt to position himself to become the next prime minister if Barak's government fails, strongly criticized Barak for the concessions he made. "I think this approach is a dangerous one," Sharon said. "We are facing a situation that dictates either a peace now at any price - or war. That serves some people's agenda, but there is a gray area between peace at any price, and war."
Sharon said Israel must demand a full cessation of hostilities as a "precondition" to any further negotiations - rather than Barak's approach of asking only for "reductions" in violence. He proposed that Israel must stop the Camp David process, which aims to set dates for final agreements, in favor of a "long-term interim agreement," based on a "mutually agreed-upon set of expectations" that includes control of terrorism, economic cooperation and so-called people-to-people exchanges.
"It's a mistake to have fixed dates," because it puts political pressure on Israel, while "the other side waits," he said, adding that he would oppose any agreement that does not require "reciprocity" from Palestinian President Yasser Arafat, who he alleged “may no longer have credibility” as a peacemaker. "Yasser Arafat has violated every agreement that he signed by now," he said.
Sharon noted that during the 1982 Israeli invasion of Lebanon, he once had orders to kill Arafat. "Parts of the government of Israel made a tremendous effort for many, many years to remove him from our society," Sharon said. "We did not succeed."
During Sharon’s visit to New York, security was very tight around him, with New York police force, State Department Protection Service personnel and Israeli security agents surrounding him. His arrival halted traffic for a block around the Sheraton New York during the morning rush. Protesters in front of the hotel shouted anti-Sharon slogans and one sign called him “butcher.”
© 2000 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
