Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon strongly criticized former Labor cabinet minister Yossi Beilin for "turning into a lobbyist for the Palestinian Authority in Washington" for having reportedly tried to aid the Palestinians in securing Palestinian President Yasser Arafat an invitation to the White House, Israel Radio reported Monday, cited by Haaretz.
Sharon, citing an unnamed "former minister" in a clear reference to Beilin, made the remarks during a Sunday cabinet meeting, the radio said.
But Beilin's office denied that the dovish legislator, an architect of the landmark 1993 Oslo peace agreement, had tried to help the Palestinians in convincing Washington to extend the invitation, calling the report "deceitful."
Sharon aides charged Monday that Beilin had tried to facilitate the visit, the radio said.
It quoted the aides as saying that Beilin was thus "harming" government policy, which holds that an Arafat visit would "encourage terrorism," the paper said – Albawaba.com
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