Pressure mounts for Sharon to arrive at endgame

At the same meeting, Mr. Sharon was caught by television microphones as agreeing with his chief of staff, Shaul Mofaz, that Arafat must be expelled, a step that faces official opposition – thus far – from the United States and Foreign Minister Shimon Peres.

It is possible, however, that Israeli opposition would diminish if there are more suicide attacks like the bombing on Passover eve in Netanya that killed 26 people and wounded more than 100.

In Mofaz's lexicon, "terrorist infrastructure" appears synonymous with the Palestinian Authority.

He has repeatedly referred to the PA as being "steeped from head to toe in terror" and yesterday told reporters that both Arafat and the PA "organized and encouraged" terrorism against Israeli targets. "The chances for reaching an agreement are non-existent and as long as Arafat is here, he will continue the terrorism against us. It is better that he be outside."

Leslie Susser, diplomatic correspondent for the Jerusalem Report, believes that the destruction of the PA may be a consequence of Israel's military action, but not out of deliberate intent. He distinguishes between Sharon's antagonism towards Arafat, and his willingness to hold contacts with advisers of Arafat.

"He absolutely thinks there can be an alternative leadership and that once he gets rid of Arafat he is in business," says Susser.

Sharon has twice before sought to shunt Arafat aside and choose an alternative leadership, recalls Pedhatzur.

The first time came when as minister of agriculture and then defense at the beginning of the 1980s he established "village leagues" of hand-picked rural figures to counteract the influence of the pro-PLO mayors in the West Bank. The rural figures were viewed as stooges and failed to attract a following.

The second time came in 1982 when Sharon sought to destroy the PLO infrastructure in Lebanon and expel Arafat. This attempt also was aimed at ensuring Israeli domination of the West Bank, and Pedhatzur believes Sharon is again trying to do the same thing now.

"There is a pattern here, but it won't work," Pedhatzur says.

"You cannot establish the leadership of another people."

Chemi Shalev, the political correspondent for Ma'ariv newspaper, says that "Sharon's endgame is foremost to use military force to solve the problem of terror" and that he is not so concerned about what comes next.

Shalev recalled remarks by Sharon a few months ago that even Hamas, the Islamic Resistance Movement, coming to the fore would not be a worse situation than having Arafat as the Palestinian leader.

"I cannot discern any grand strategy here," Shalev says. "He sees an enemy in front of his eyes and is fighting that enemy."

• Material from wire services was used in this report.

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