Plan to Exile or Kill Arafat Abandoned

Ariel Sharon says he has abandoned a threat made by his cabinet barely a month ago to exile or even kill Yasser Arafat.

The Israeli prime minister told the Jerusalem Post that attempting to deport the Palestinian president was not a realistic option.

"Our calculations for years have been that expelling him would not be good for Israel," Mr Sharon said. "The likelihood of expelling him without harming him is low, not only because of his security guards, but because he would be surrounded by a human chain of Israelis. The opinion of our intelligence services is that expelling him would not be a good idea."

Asked if that meant there could not be peace before Mr Arafat dies, he said: "I didn't say dead, but in my opinion, as long as he is in control, the chance for progress is nonexistent."

The Post did not ask him why the threat to "remove" Mr Arafat had been made in the first place. But Mr Sharon's retreat will reinforce the growing perception among Israeli voters that the prime minister is floundering. Opinion polls show falling support for Mr Sharon and his militarist tactics.

Asked about the family member of a victim of the recent Haifa suicide bomb who is demanding to know where Mr Sharon is leading Israel, he said: "There have been more difficult times."