Sharon rules out talk with Palestinians

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon tonight ruled out peace negotiations with the Palestinians, charging that they are doing nothing to stop attacks against Israelis.

He said he would co-ordinate his steps with the United States, but ruled out such talks with the Palestinians.

Addressing the Israeli parliament about his unilateral disengagement plan, Sharon cited Sunday’s double suicide bombing in the Israeli seaport of Acceded, which killed 10 Israelis.

He charged that the attack “reinforces the understanding that there is no Palestinian leader with the courage, the ability, to struggle against terrorism.”

Sharon said, “Israel has no real Palestinian negotiating partner for peace talks. Therefore, also in the political sphere, Israel will have to act according to its own understanding alone. Clearly, in this situation, there will be no political negotiations.”

Sharon did not give details of the unilateral steps he is planning, saying that work on the plan is not yet completed. He pledged to co-ordinate the moves “with our allies, first of all, the United States,” and said he had discussed it with US officials.

In the past, Sharon has spoken of pulling out of most or all of Gaza and evacuating Jewish settlements there, along with removing some settlements in the West Bank while imposing a boundary there.

Palestinians charge that the real purpose of the plan is to take control of large parts of their territory. They insist that all steps on the ground must be approved through negotiations.

The parliament narrowly approved Sharon’s statement by a vote of 46 to 45. Representatives of two of Sharon’s three coalition partners, the pro-settlement National Union and National Religious Party, stayed away from the chamber during the vote.

Following the suicide rate, carried out by two high school students, Israel is to intensify targeted killings of Palestinian militants in retaliation.

A senior official said leaders of militant groups, occasionally targeted in the past, will not be immune.