Sharon stands firm on truce conditions

Ariel Sharon’s advisers have today claimed that the Palestinians have not yet met the Israeli Prime Minister’s condition for a formal truce - a week without attacks.

The statement comes on the eve of a new US peace envoy to the troubled country.

The US does not fully back Sharon’s demand.

Washington officials have said privately that a few days of calm are sufficient.

A senior Sharon aide, Cabinet Secretary Gideon Saar, said that while the volume of Palestinian attacks on Israelis had fallen by about 50% since Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat declared a ceasefire on December 16, the violence-free week demanded by Sharon had yet to begin.

‘‘I don’t think anyone has started the clock,’’ Saar said.

Sharon’s office said in a statement that ‘‘the prime minister reiterated the need for seven days of complete calm.’’

Sharon’s line is in contrast to that of his foreign minister, Shimon Peres, who said yesterday that if the current relative calm holds for another two or three days, the two sides could start implementing US recommendations for a return to talks.

Zinni is expected to nudge the two sides to put into practice a formal ceasefire plan outlined last year.

Hassan Yousef, a Hamas leader in the West Bank town of Ramallah, said the group remained committed to a limited truce - no attacks in Israel - but would reconsider if Israel resumed targeted killings of suspected Palestinian militants.