U.S. tells Israel not to harm Arafat

Reuters

U.S. tells Israel not to harm Arafat

Date: Friday April 23

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House has bluntly told Israel that Prime Minister Ariel Sharon must abide by a past promise not to harm Palestinian President Yasser Arafat after Sharon said he was no longer bound by the pledge.

"We have made it entirely clear to the Israeli government that we would oppose any such action (to harm Arafat) and have done so again in the wake of these remarks," said a senior Bush administration official on Friday. "We consider a pledge, a pledge."

The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that President George W. Bush, in a meeting with Sharon last week at the White House, "reiterated his opposition to such an action."

Sharon told Israel's Channel 2 that he had informed Bush he had released himself from a commitment not to harm Arafat.

"I said in our first meeting about three years ago that I accepted his request not to harm Arafat physically," Sharon said. "But I am released from this commitment. I release myself from this commitment regarding Arafat."

Sharon gave no indication any move against Arafat was imminent. Although the United States does not acknowledge the Palestinian leader, it is opposed to Israel killing or exiling him as the Jewish state has threatened to do in the past.

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