Rift emerges in Israeli leadership over Sharon's tactics
The rift between Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and his much-respected Foreign Minister, Shimon Peres, has apparently widened, with Mr Peres criticising Mr Sharon’s tactics in dealing with the Palestinian intefadeh.
Nobel Peace Prize winner Peres said Israel should not be demanding that the Palestinian Authority crack down on militants and risk civil war unless there are real prospects for a resumption of peace talks.
However, Sharon, in a speech today, said he would not budge from his demands for seven days of peace before such talks can begin.
"It will be seven days, not one hour less," Mr Sharon told Israeli newspaper editors. He then accused Palestinian President Yasser Arafat of building a "coalition of terror".
Sharon said Israel will continue its policy of assassinating leading Palestinian political activists because he believes they are planning "terrorist" attacks on Israeli soldiers and citizens.
"We will protect our right of self-defence and will carry it out, but we will not be dragged into a war," he said.
Mr Sharon’s hardline outburst came as US envoy Anthony Zinni embarks on his fourth day of talks with both sides in an effort to revive a ceasefire and restart negotiations on the future of the region.
