WEYMOUTH: You were elected to bring security to the people of Israel. How do you plan to do that? SHARON: I would like to negotiate with the Palestinians, but this government will be different from the former one. It will not negotiate under terror or violence…
Reportedly, some of Arafat’s own security apparatus is engaged in terrorism. Is this so? The Palestinian Authority does not take any preventive steps against the infrastructure of the terrorist organizations. And Arafat’s most loyal forces, like the presidential guard–Force 17–are active participants in violence and terror.
If the uprising gets worse, would you consider re-entering Palestinian-controlled areas on the West Bank? Palestinian-controlled areas? The answer is no. Areas that were given to the Palestinians–there, I think the situation is irreversible, and I don’t think we have to re-enter. That doesn’t mean that Israel will not take steps against people who find shelter there.
Have you talked to Arafat? About three weeks ago, Arafat called me and we had quite a long conversation. I stressed that I would like to make a clear distinction between terrorist organizations–against whom we have to take the necessary steps–and, on the other hand, the Palestinian population, whose conditions I would like to ease. I said I would like to start immediately by opening the gates of the Palestinian Authority area to raw materials, [permitting] their agricultural products to be taken out and increasing the number of employees [allowed to come to Israel]. But a day or so later, a wave of terror started and has continued right up to today.
Does he have less control than six months ago? No change.
Could Arafat stop the terror if he wanted to? Yes, he can stop it.
When you spoke on the phone, did he indicate he would control the violence? He listened; he did not answer.
The United States is hoping you will turn over the tax payments to the Palestinian Authority. We shouldn’t look at Arafat as someone who cannot pay his wages. They have property worth over a billion dollars all over the world.
Do you have plans to meet Arafat? I’m ready to meet and negotiate with him but that cannot be done under pressure of terror or violence. That is the difference between this government and [Ehud] Barak’s. Making those concessions weakened Israel.
It’s rumored that your government may close the Gaza airport so that Arafat’s plane cannot take off. I don’t want to go into details. Because the Palestinian Authority is behind terror, the concept should be to ease the lives of ordinary citizens and harden the lives of those in the Palestinian Authority.
Do you have an interim plan now thatBarak’s attempts at a comprehensive deal have failed? Barak agrees he did not succeed. [Former] president [Bill] Clinton called me and said Israel is free from what he calls “Clinton principles.” He said he warned Arafat many times that he was playing with terror. The former president came up with certain proposals. He said they failed because of Arafat. And therefore Israel is no longer committed to this plan.
Some say you’ll create a unilateral separation between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. If we were to make the separation Barak mentioned, the length of the border would be over 435 miles. Who could patrol this border? It is not realistic. There should be an interim agreement or a situation of nonbelligerency. I know the Palestinians are suffering from lack of contiguity. They don’t want Israeli checkpoints.
Would you allow the Palestinians to control areas that are contiguous to each other? Yes, and a road so they could travel freely from the north to the south of Judea and Samaria. I have a plan so they don’t need to cross checkpoints. Maybe that is the way to move forward to peace.
What are your other priorities? To encourage immigration to Israel. We have to make a major effort to bring another million Jews from Russia, South America, Central America, France, Ukraine, from other places in the former Soviet Union. And, of course, we will make a major effort for American Jews to live here. Then we must bring unity to Israel. I believe I can talk to the right and to the left, to the religious and the secular, to the ultra-Orthodox and to the Arabs.
Are you going to try to do a deal with Syria? It’s very hard for this small nation to negotiate on two fronts. And besides, Syria at present is the main supporter of the Hizbullah. I think first we have to deal with the Palestinians. Some say you’ll be like the hardliner Richard Nixon who unexpectedly opened America’s relationship with China–that you’ll be the hawk who’s able to make peace with the Palestinians. I believe I can make peace because I saw all the horrors of wars. I participated in all the wars and lost my best friends in battles. I was seriously injured twice. Therefore, I understand the importance of peace better than the politicians who speak about peace but never experienced war.
