Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat today dismissed warnings from the head of Israel's army of a tougher response to the Palestinian uprising and said peace negotiations with Israel should start from where they left off with the outgoing Labour government.
"What is there left to use? Nuclear weapons," Mr Arafat said of the threats by General Shaul Mofaz, during an interview with AFP in his Gaza City office.
Mr Mofaz had warned earlier today that the Israeli army will "go one step further" to put down violence "if the Palestinian Authority does nothing to stop it".
Mr Arafat declined to comment on the selection yesterday of Labour hawk Binyamin Ben Eliezer as defense minister in the incoming government led by right-winger Ariel Sharon.
"We have to wait and see. We are not interfering in their internal affairs."
Asked about the possibility of a meeting with Mr Sharon, Mr Arafat stressed that after the Likud party leader was elected in the February 6 election he sent him a congratulatory message and spoke with him by telephone.
But Mr Arafat said no indirect contacts were underway between him and Mr Sharon.
Concerning an eventual resumption of Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, Mr Arafat said "all what has been agreed upon has to be respected by the two sides: Taba, Sharm el-Sheikh, Paris, Washington, Cairo," referring to accords or meetings between the two sides.
AFP
