Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's office confirmed on Wednesday reports that Omri Sharon met Sunday with Palestinian President Yasser Arafat at his office in the West Bank city of Ramallah, reported The Jerusalem Post newspaper.
“Omri Sharon had been sent with a clear message that the violence must stop,” an Israeli official told the paper.
Also present at the meeting was Yossi Ginossar, who is often used as an emissary between the Israeli government and the PA, said the Post.
The Israeli Maariv newspaper reported on Wednesday that Omri Sharon met with Arafat on Sunday, and was accompanied by businessman, Yossi Ginossar, a former official in the Israeli internal security service Shin Beth who in the past has led security contacts with the Palestinians.
Meanwhile, three Israeli MKs met Arafat Wednesday in the West Bank city of Ramallah and conveyed to him a message from Defense Minister Binyamin Ben Eliezer, reported Israel Radio, cited by Haaretz newspaper.
The Mks were Colette Avital from the Labor party, Naomi Chazan and Zahava Gal-On, both from Meretz.
Chazan, who confirmed the meeting in an interview with Radio Israel, declined to disclose the contents of the message.
The MK told the radio that she was convinced Arafat wanted to continue negotiations with Israel and that he hoped official contacts would resume in the near future.
Arafat said he looked forward to restarting security negotiations and returning to the situation that existed before the outbreak of violence.
She added Arafat seemed "worried."
PA Gaza Preventive Security chief Mohammed Dahlan also attended the meeting, according to the report. – Albawaba.com
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