- In response to comments made by Israeli Prime Minister
Ariel Sharon that his pledge to US President George W. Bush not to harm
PA chairman Yasser Arafat, the Ramallah-confined Palestinian leader said
that he is "fated to die as a shaheed (martyr)," Ynet reported
Friday.
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- "I am a believer. My fate is that of the Palestinian
people. I am fated to die as a shaheed."
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- Arafat made his comments during a meeting with Israeli
Arab MK Ahmed Tibi at his Ramallah compound.
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- Palestinian officials have expressed concern that Israel
might attack Arafat, especially following the killings of the Hamas leaders
in recent weeks. On Thursday, Arafat expelled 20 militants who had sought
shelter at his West Bank headquarters, fearing an Israeli attack was imminent.
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- Nabil Abu Rdeneh, an aide to Arafat, warned that Sharon's
"dangerous statements ... could push the whole region into tremendous
danger."
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- "We call upon the US administration to clarify its
position on these statements and to bear its responsibility toward this
escalation," he said.
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- Sharon won't rule out attack on Arafat
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- Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said Friday that
he is no longer bound by a promise to US President George W. Bush not to
harm Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.
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- It was the strongest signal yet that Israel could target
Arafat, whom it has confined to his West Bank headquarters for two years.
Palestinian officials condemned what they called Sharon's "dangerous
statements."
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- In an interview with Israel TV's Channel Two, broadcast
Friday, Sharon said he told Bush about his change of position in a meeting
in Washington last week.
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- "I told the president the following," Sharon
said. "In our first meeting about three years ago, I accepted your
request not to harm Arafat physically. I told him I understand the problems
surrounding the situation, but I am released from that pledge."
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- Sharon declined to elaborate and would not say how Bush
responded.
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- Sharon hints at Israel's nuclear deterrent
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- Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon on Friday came close
to ending four decades of secrecy about the country's nuclear-arms capability,
saying the United States recognizes that Israel needs a credible deterrent
to Iran and other hostile countries.
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- Sharon spoke in an interview with Israel's Channel One
TV, just two days after whistleblower Mordechai Vanunu ended an 18-year
jail term for disclosing details of Israel's nuclear secrets. "They
understand that Israel's existence is still in danger," Sharon said,
referring to the United States.
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- "Iran represents an existential threat, one of the
existential threats or maybe the main existential threat," he said.
"But the recognition of Israel's right - and of the importance of
Israel's ability - to defend itself, by itself, these things are clearly
understood."
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- " If you read the foreign press you will see that
they talk about a whole complex of defensive tools, which Israel needs
in its hands," he said.
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- "Almost an admission," the TV anchor commented
at the end of the taped interview.
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- http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JP
Article/ShowFull&cid=1082697654494
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