Sharon's son becomes peace emissary
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, long a harsh critic of Yasser Arafat, sent his son to meet the Palestinian leader this week as part of efforts to work out an end to Mideast violence.
Omri Sharon and Arafat discussed the possibility of renewed security cooperation between the sides during the meeting in the West Bank city of Ramallah, said Sharon’s spokesman Raanan Gissin.
The younger Sharon also demanded that the Palestinians stop shooting attacks against Israeli targets, Gissin said.
The elder Sharon has often referred to Arafat as a terrorist over the years. And when Sharon was foreign minister several years ago, he pointedly refused to shake Arafat’s hand when they held periodic meetings.
The prime minister has said that the time is not right for him to meet Arafat in light of more than six months of Israeli-Palestinian clashes.
Sharon has said he will not negotiate with the Palestinians on a Mideast political agreement until the current fighting ends, though the sides have been holding talks this week on ways to end the violence.
Since Sharon was elected, his son has served as an informal adviser, although he is not serving in any official capacity. The quiet, portly Omri Sharon joined the prime minister on his trip last month to the United States.
Several ministers and MPs have criticised Sharon’s use of his son since he is not an official adviser. Israeli regulations don’t allow a prime minister to hire members of his immediate family on his staff.
Sharon has reportedly said that he has enlisted his son’s aide since he is the person closest person to him. Sharon’s wife, Lily, passed away last year.
