Israel Must Continue Political Talks with Palestinians: Sharon

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Tuesday, August 13, 2002

Israel Must Continue Political Talks with Palestinians: Sharon

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Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has stressed that Israel must continue political talks with the Palestinians, and a peace agreement should be reached in stages, the Ha'aretz Daily reported Tuesday.

The prime minister made the remarks Monday before the Knesset (parliament) Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee.

In his speech, Sharon reiterated his stand on replacement of PNA Chairman Yasser Arafat.

He emphasized that the political talks must continue with the Palestinians, "but there is a problem with Arafat. As long as he is head of the PNA, we can't reach an agreement because the terror won't stop."

Asked about the chance of reaching a peace agreement with the Palestinian National Authority (PNA), Sharon said no deal will be done "at the expense of our security", and the peace deal "is possible only in stages."

"We cannot agree to any change as long as we can't see there is a change in relations between us. We will not agree to any step that is irreversible," Sharon was reported as saying.

He said steps must be taken "to advance the process and it has nothing to do with our war on terror. At the end of the day we will have to reach an agreement."

On the issue of Israeli occupation in the Palestinian areas, Sharon said "I don't think we'll be able to remain permanently in (the West Bank cities of) Nablus, Jenin, and certainly not Gaza. Anyone who thinks we'll stay for years is simply wrong. I think that we will have to return to the most important thing for us."

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