Israel has no plans to kill Chairman of the Palestinian National Authority Yasser Arafat, Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said at Jordan's Dead Sea resort of Shuneh Sunday.

"I don't know of any plan to get rid of him (Arafat)��I know forsure that there is no such plan," Olmert said on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Shuneh.

"Now, the day could come that the Palestinians would have to live without Arafat. The initial reaction would be very emotional but, I think, ultimately, it would be a very positive development,"said Olmert.

Olmert described Arafat as an "obstacle to any improvement" on the peace process between Israelis and Palestinians.US Secretary of States Colin Powell on the same day criticized Arafat for "taking actions against the peace process."

Arafat has been confined to his West Bank headquarters in Ramallah since December 2001. His compound was largely destroyed by the Israeli army in 2002.

Source: Xinhua