Israel News from Jerusalem NewswireWednesday, May 04, 2005 16:47 IST
JNW HEADLINE NEWSSharon: Abbas working to strengthen terror
By Jerusalem Newswire Editorial StaffMay 3rd, 2005
JERUSALEM - PLO chief Mahmoud Abbas's recent actions will serve to strengthen the ability of "Palestinian" terror groups to launch future attacks against Jewish men, women and children, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon told visiting US senators Monday.
"Instead of working to disarm the terror organizations, he is working to strengthen them. He is not willing to fight them and is not willing to dismantle their infrastructure," Ha'aretz quoted Sharon as saying.
Abbas has on numerous occasions made public his aversion to combating terrorists and forcibly disarming them, preferring instead to hold negotiations with the killers and offer them jobs as Palestinian Authority security officers.
"His course is not the right one, and contrary to the Road Map," Sharon told senators Bill Frist and Joseph Lieberman.
Sharon noted that Abbas is clearly interested in maintaining the current relative calm, which the PLO chief tells "Palestinians" will enable him to extract further Israeli concessions, "but is refraining completely from taking significant steps against the terror organizations."
Phase one of the Road Map obligates the PA to "disarm and dismantle" the terrorist infrastructure operating out of territories under its control.
Sharon also expressed Israel's opposition to the Hamas terrorist organization participating in the upcoming Palestinian Legislative Council election.
"It is inconceivable for an armed party to participate in the democratic process; from there, it is impossible to move on to the Road Map," the prime minister said.
Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom similarly told Quartet economic envoy James Wolfensohn, "If Hamas wants to become a political party, it must disarm."
A day earlier, PA Interior Minister Nasser Yousef reiterated the Abbas regime's disinclination to collect illegal weapons, but did place a ban on terrorists publicly bearing arms.
"The Palestinian security forces won't enter homes to search for weapons, but we won't allow people to carry weapons in the streets," Yousef said during a visit to southern Gaza.
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