Sharon: Palestinian state years away

Palestinians might not get a state for many years as a result of Israel’s unilateral “disengagement” plan, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said today.

Sharon was providing more details of his proposal to withdraw from all of the Gaza Strip and four West Bank settlements.

Sharon also said Israel was no longer bound by a pledge to the United States not to harm Yasser Arafat, saying the Palestinian leader and the head of Lebanon’s Hezbollah guerrillas, Hassan Nasrallah, were potential targets for assassination.

The prime minister gave wide-ranging interviews to the Yediot Ahronot and Haaretz dailies, as well as Israel Radio and Israel Army Radio, ahead of the weeklong Jewish holiday of Passover which begins at sundown today.

Israeli security forces were on high alert for the holiday, with reinforcements deployed at outdoor markets, malls and synagogues.

The military banned all Palestinians from entering Israel to try to ward off attacks. The tight closure is to remain in effect at least until Israel’s Independence Day on April 26, officials said.

Sharon said the withdrawal plan was a “deadly blow” to the Palestinians and that he would not coordinate with them – an apparent response to ultra-nationalist critics who have accused him of succumbing to Palestinian violence.

“In the unilateral plan, there is no Palestinian state. This situation could continue for many years,” Sharon told Yediot.

Sharon has said repeatedly that the Palestinians would receive more land in a negotiated settlement.

However, he insists he does not have a Palestinian partner, accusing Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia of not confronting militants.

The prime minister said he planned to evacuate all 21 Israeli settlements in Gaza and four in the West Bank.

He said a patrol road between the Gaza Strip and Egypt would remain under Israeli control for the time being.

Sharon said he would seal off Gaza after a withdrawal, at least initially.

On Arafat, Sharon said that three years ago he promised US President George Bush that Israel would not harm Arafat, but since then circumstances had changed.

“Arafat was (then) given red carpet treatment everywhere in the world. Today it is clear to the United States and to everyone just who Arafat is,” Sharon said.

Israel assassinated Hamas founder Sheik Ahmed Yassin on March 22, and officials said Israeli forces would mete out similar treatment to others involved in the organisation or execution of attacks against Israel.