Thursday 23 January 2003

Ex-Israeli envoy accuses Sharon of escalating Mideast conflict

Former Israeli ambassador to Germany, Avi Primor, on Wednesday accused Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon of intentionally escalating the Mideast conflict, citing Zionist "ideological" motives.

"Sharon's message is clear: There is no solution to the (Palestinian) crisis. We have to hit back," Primor said in an interview with the daily Berliner Zeitung.

"Sharon is of course not willing to relinquish lands. I think Sharon is really ideologically motivated," the ex-envoy added.

Primor pointed out that according to Sharon, all Palestinian territories, occupied after the 1967 war, are "God-given" lands which need to be safeguarded.

He said that Sharon is not interested in a "sovereign Palestinian state".

Primor added that Sharon is pursuing a peace policy "according to "his own conditions, hoping to shape the Middle East the way he wants".

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