Israeli ministers oppose Arafat-Peres meeting

The Israeli cabinet should oppose the meeting between Palestinian leader Mr Yasser Arafat and Israeli Foreign Minister Mr Shimon…

The Israeli cabinet should oppose the meeting between Palestinian leader Mr Yasser Arafat and Israeli Foreign Minister Mr Shimon Peres, public radio quoted Communications Minister Mr Reuven Rivlin as saying today.

He said Prime Minister Mr Ariel Sharon is against the much-anticipated meeting being held now and that the government should make a decision Sunday to prevent it.

The radio quoted a political source last night as saying the meeting would take place Sunday at Gaza airport, but officials in both camps refused to confirm or deny the report.

Several ministers on both ends of the political spectrum have voiced objections to the timing of the meeting in the wake of the US terror attacks.

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Newspapers quoted Minister Without Portfolio Mr Danny Naveh today as saying a meeting with Mr Arafat "would waste a golden opportunity" to turn the Palestinian Authority into a target of the emerging coalition against terror.

"This is not the right moment to meet Yasser Arafat, because such a meeting would be interpreted as a stamp of approval when the world is mobilising against terrorism," said the Labour minister of sports and culture, Mr Matan Vilnai.

Mr Peres set a condition for the meeting today, saying Mr Arafat must order an end to violence before a meeting between them can take place.

Before Tuesday's attacks against New York and Washington, Mr Sharon had given Mr Peres a mandate to negotiate a ceasefire in a face-to-face meeting with Mr Arafat.

A Palestinian teenager was shot today by Israeli soldiers during clashes between Palestinians and the army in the northern Gaza Strip.

Ramzi Khalil Hassuna (17) was shot in the chest, and four other Palestinians were injured in the clashes, which broke out between Palestinian stone-throwers and Israeli soldiers near the Karni crossing point between Israel and the Gaza Strip.

His death brings to 803 the number of people killed since the start of the intifada, or uprising, nearly a year ago, including 615 Palestinians and 165 Israelis.

AFP