From The Jerusalem post Netanyahu defends Sharon By Douglas Davis LONDON (May 21) - Former prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu yesterday made an impassioned plea for Israelis to unite behind the government of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon in order to confront "a storm that seems to be getting out of control." "We have to put all our differences aside and join together, because now we are in a battle," he said at a press briefing during a visit to London. He told The Jerusalem Post that by breaching agreements Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat has forfeited his role as a peace partner and must now prove himself anew. Netanyahu brushed off accusations that Israel is using disproportionate force in response to Palestinian atrocities. "If we respond proportionately," he warned, "we will lose...the response to terror must be disproportionate." He added that the violence will stop only when Arafat, whom he described as"a corrupt dictator," believes that his regime - and his own position - are threatened. "Arafat should know that if the violence continues, he will personally have to face the consequences," said Netanyahu adding that the violent convulsion that erupted last September revealed that Arafat is not prepared to limit his ambitions for a Palestinian state to the West Bank, Gaza Strip and a share in Jerusalem. "We are facing an ideology that is not prepared to compromise over the existence of Israel," he said. "What has happened over the past eight months has been the unmasking of Arafat." He could not say how long the "testing period" would be for Arafat to prove himself as a peace partner - "certainly not a day or two, or a week or two.... When you see it, you'll know it. I don't look at the personality or identity of a leader I look at his actions." Netanyahu last night attended a Jerusalem Day rally in London arranged by the One Jerusalem organization. In interviews with London-based BBC TV and Sky News he declared unconditional support for Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's use of warplanes against Palestinian targets. He drew a contrast between what he called Israel's targeting of military installations and the Palestinians' deliberate attacks on children and other civilians. He likened Israel's attacks to those of the British against the Nazis in World War II, which harmed civilians even though they were intended specifically for the enemy. |
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