Sharon offers help to Palestinian premier

Ariel Sharon was quoted as saying yesterday he wanted to help his Palestinian counterpart and would continue to release prisoners, but not those with “blood on their hands”.

“I, Ariel Sharon, want to help Prime Minister Abu Mazen,” he told Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, referring to Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas who is also called Abu Mazen.

“I want to help him because he is a man who believes that the only way to arrive at peace is not via violence, not terrorism. It’s through negotiation,” Mr Sharon said, adding violence had decreased since Palestinian militant factions called a truce in late June.