Sharon hits out at 'government of murder'
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon accused the Palestinian premier of heading a “government of murder and lies” that is incapable of negotiating a peace deal with Israel, according to an interview published today.
The harsh criticism appeared to set the stage for Sharon to push forward with his plan to dismantle some settlements and impose a boundary on the Palestinians if peace efforts prove fruitless in the coming months.
Sharon’s comments came in response to Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia’s condemnation of a suicide bombing of an Israeli bus on Sunday that killed eight passengers.
Qureia criticised the bombing, “especially its timing and place”, saying it hurt efforts to persuade the world court at The Hague to rule against the separation barrier Israel is building in the West Bank.
Israel says the barrier is needed to keep out bombers.
The Palestinians “expressed regret about the timing of the attack because it could hurt them at The Hague,” Sharon was quoting as telling the Yediot Ahronot daily.
“The government of Abu Ala is a government of murder and lies. With such a government it is impossible to reach any agreement.”
Sharon’s comments come amid stalled efforts to restart the U.S.-backed “road map” peace plan that calls for an immediate end to the more than three years of violence and the creation of a Palestinian state by next year.
Attempts to set up an initial summit between Sharon and Qureia, who took office in November, are deadlocked, with Israel cancelling a planned preparatory meeting between the two leaders’ top aides.
Thousands of Palestinians held coordinated protests – occasionally rebuffed by Israeli tear gas – throughout the West Bank and Gaza Strip yesterday to coincide with the beginning of the world court hearings on the barrier in the Hague.
