Peres defends assassinations policy

Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres today defended the assassinations of Palestinian militants suspected of terror operations as a necessary act of self-defence.

He said the policy was needed to face ‘‘a completely new phenomenon’’ the suicide attacker.

‘‘The only option is to eliminate him before he acts,’’ Peres said in an address to a French Parliament committee.

‘‘When he starts to act, it is already too late.’’

Peres said he does not believe Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat will use the forthcoming UN General Assembly debate as a forum to declare an independent state.

He was responding to a report that Arafat was considering making the declaration at the annual UN debate, which starts at the weekend.

‘‘This would be a declaration without territory,’’ Peres said, because the borders of an eventual Palestinian state have not been defined. ‘‘A state without borders is no better than territories without a state,’’ he said.