Sharon seeks Bush OK for attack that could end Arafat era
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SPECIAL TO WORLD TRIBUNE.COM
Sunday, December 2, 2001
WASHINGTON Ñ In his meeting with President George Bush today, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon may seek U.S. backing for a counterattack that would either exile Yasser Arafat or destroy the Palestinian Authority altogether.
Sharon had been scheduled to meet Bush on Monday. But aides said Bush has
agreed to meet Sharon at Sunday noon Eastern Standard Time in the wake of two devastating suicide bombings over the weekend that killed at least 25 Israelis.
Sharon Saturday pressed for an immediate meeting with the president to discuss options for a military
campaign against Palestinian terrorism. Aides said Sharon wants to relay to Bush an urgent message that Israel
must respond to the latest wave of Palestinian attacks in Israeli cities, Middle East Newsline reported.
The aides said Sharon could seek a green light for an Israeli attack that
could topple the Palestinian Authority.
The two options being examined by Sharon, the aides said, is whether to
exile PA Chairman Arafat from the Palestinian areas and leave PA
security agencies intact, or to destroy the Palestinian regime entirely. The
aides said Sharon's security Cabinet would discuss the options over the next
day.
"Now more than ever, Chairman Arafat and the Palestinian Authority must
demonstrate through their actions, and not merely their words, their
commitment to fight terror," Bush said in a statement. "Chairman Arafat and
the Palestinian Authority must immediately find and arrest those responsible
for the hideous murders. They must also act swiftly and decisively against
the organizations that support them."
On late Saturday, two Palestinian suicide bombers blew themselves up in
downtown Jerusalem Ñ killing 10 and injuring about 180 people. Israeli
authorities said a third bomb exploded from a nearby car on late Saturday in
the cafe district of the city. The district was packed with youngsters.
Another suicide bombing Sunday killed 10
passengers on a bus in the Israeli city of Haifa. Initial reports said at least one and possibly two buses exploded on
Sunday afternoon. Authorities said at least 40 people were injured in the
blast.
The bombers were said to have been sent by the Islamic opposition Hamas
movement. Hamas had pledged to avenge the Israeli assassination of bomber
Mahmoud Abu Hanoud. Nobody has claimed responsibility for the attacks.
Earlier, Israel tightened the siege on the West Bank in wake of a wave
of Palestinian attacks in the Jewish state.
Palestinian sources said Israeli troops and tanks have ringed such
cities as Jenin, Kalkilya, Nablus and Tulkarm over the weekend. They said
the troops also entered Jenin.
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