Saudi Minister blames Sharon

Newspapers across the Arab world have carried an unprecedented call by a senior Arab figure for regime change in Israel.

This call was issued by the Saudi Foreign Minister, Prince Saud al-Faisal, during a press conference in the White House following last Thursday's meeting between three Arab foreign ministers and the US President, Mr Bush.

The prince blamed the attitudes of Israel's Prime Minister, Mr Ariel Sharon, for the lack of regional peace and said he would be much more optimistic if Mr Sharon was "not there".

In the prince's estimation, Mr Sharon "is a man who thinks still on the lines of Fortress Israel, that the only good Arab is a dead Arab, that Israel is facing enemies on all of its borders. [He thinks\] that an Arab who says he wants peace means a peace that will finally end in driving all the Israelis into the sea, that the only security for Israel is to rely on its arms and its relationship with the United States."

While noting that a majority of Israelis support Mr Sharon's security policies, the prince said an even larger proportion favoured a peace settlement with the Palestinians. He said, "If [the Israelis\] leave it to Sharon, he will lead the Middle East only to tragedy and conflict." The prince was expressing the view of Mr Sharon of most Arab leaders. Prince Saud also said that all Palestinian factions, including Hamas and Islamic Jihad, were working on a ceasefire. This would not only enable the Palestinians to hold elections in January 2003 but would be extended.