Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and his foreign minister, Shimon Peres, have decided to continue talks next week aimed at easing tensions in their relationship arising out of differences over policies toward the Palestinians.
Radio Israel, which reported the development, had said that Peres might resign after the two exchanged harsh words on Sunday over the occupation of Orient House. But the most recent reports indicate that this is unlikely.
Sources told the station that the squabble took place Sunday morning at a cabinet meeting, during which to Peres said the occupation by Israeli forces of the PLO's offices Jerusalem, including Orient House, was a mistake. He was quoted as demanding that Israel start negotiating with the Palestinian Authority immediately, without waiting for a complete end to attacks by resistance fighters.
In a speech aired on the radio later, Peres warned that if Israel disposed of Arafat, radical leaders like Hamas founder Ahmad Yassin would take over.
The minister cited the example of North Ireland to prove his point that Israel should go back to the negotiating table.
He said that despite a recent car bomb attack in London by Real IRA, talks to reach a ceasefire and a peaceful settlement were continuing.
Meanwhile, a group of demonstrators from Israel's right wing rallied outside the meeting carrying banners with the slogan "Death to Peres."
The radio station said that Sharon strongly condemned the banners and warned of their future impact.
It said in its updated story that Sharon and Peres lunched together and agreed that despite differences, the national unity government should stay intact.
According to Haaretz, Israeli Defense Minister Benjamin Ben-Eliezer supports Peres' position and believes there is no military solution to the violence.
The paper said that Peres had been under pressure from his Labor Party supporters to resign from the national unity government with Sharon.
Sharon also reportedly sees a need for massive international pressure on Arafat to stop what the prime minister calls "violence and terror."
Meanwhile, Sharon will meet today with US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs David Satterfield, and will discuss the implications of the closure of the Palestinian institutions in occupied Jerusalem.
The United States wants to know when Israel will return Orient House to the Palestinians and what its criteria are for doing so.
Administration representatives raised this question during phone conversations between Sharon and Secretary of State Colin Powell, as well as in face-to-face talks held by Daniel Ayalon, Sharon's foreign policy advisor, in Washington on Friday, said the paper - Albawaba.com
© 2001 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
