Mr Amram Mitzna, the new leader of Israel's opposition Labour Party, accused Yasser Arafat today of leading Palestinian "terrorism against Israel" but indicated he would negotiate with him if elected prime minister.
Mr Mitzna's remarks set him apart from Prime Minister Mr Ariel Sharon and Foreign Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who are rivals to lead the ruling Likud party into an election on January 28th and have ruled out negotiations with the Palestinian president.
Asked if he would negotiate with Mr Arafat if he became premier, Mr Mitzna told a news conference with the Foreign Press Association in Israel: "Arafat is leading the terrorism against Israel. Arafat positioned himself as an enemy of the people of Israel."
"But as I said before, you make peace with enemies, and therefore once I am elected I will call on the Palestinians to come back to the negotiating table and we will negotiate with the Palestinian leadership," he said.
Mr Mitzna was elected Labour's leader last week and will become Israel's prime minister if his centre-left party wins the January election and he is able to form a government. A ballot of Likud members on Thursday will decide whether Mr Sharon remains the leader of the right-wing party or loses the post to Mr Netanyahu.
Opinion polls put Mr Sharon ahead of Mr Netanyahu and Likud is widely expected to win the January election.
Meanwhile, Israeli troops shotdead an eight-year-old Palestinian boy today during a clashwith stone-throwing Palestinians in the occupied West Bank cityof Nablus, witnesses said.
In Bethlehem, Israeli troops scaled back their presenceafter arresting dozens of alleged Palestinian militants but toldresidents re-emerging from their homes to go back inside becausea curfew was still in effect, witnesses said.