Sharon rules out resuming peace talks
Israeli prime minister-elect Ariel Sharon has ruled out resuming peace talks with Palestinians where they left off in Egypt last month.
After a four-hour Cabinet meeting on Wednesday the Palestinian authority called for talks to resume where they ended under outgoing premier Ehud Barak .
But Sharon aides discounted that prospect. Adviser Raanan Gissin said Mr Sharon would be bound only by signed agreements, not by proposals made by his predecessor.
Another aide, Eyal Arad, said Mr Sharon was determined not to renew negotiations until all Palestinian violence stops.
Mr Barak offered the Palestinians a state in about 95% of the West Bank and control over parts of Jerusalem and a temple sacred to Muslims and Jews
The Palestinians turned down Mr Barak's proposals and Israeli voters repudiated them by turning Mr Barak out of office by a huge margin, 62.5% to 37.4%.
Mr Sharon's aides said the Barak ideas are off the table and said all of Jerusalem would remain united under Israeli rule "with the Temple Mount at its centre for all eternity", using the Jewish name for the site.
Mr Sharon has said he would not give the Palestinians any more territory than they now control, 42% of the West Bank and two-thirds of the Gaza Strip, but aides said he would under some circumstances implement parts of an interim agreement that would require Israel to hand over additional territory.
