Wtr: TEXT OF LETTER FROM ARIK SHARON TO SECRETARY OF STATE ALBRIGHT

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In einer eMail vom 04.10.00 17:30:14 (MEZ) - Mitteleurop. Sommerzeit schreibt 
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Weitergeleitete Nachricht: 
Thema:   Letter
Datum:  04.10.00 17:30:14 (MEZ) - Mitteleurop. Sommerzeit
From:   an.meyer at freenet.de (Andreas Meyer)
To: KXX4493553 at aol.com

TEXT OF LETTER FROM ARIK SHARON TO SECRETARY OF STATE ALBRIGHT

Her Excellency Mrs. Madelaine Allbright
Secretary of State
The State Dept.
Washington DC

Monday October 2, 20000 

Dear Secretarv Allbright:

I deeply regret, and I find it totally unacceptable that your 
spokesman was quick to make a false statement that my visit to The 
Temple Mount "may have caused tension," insinuating that it ignited 
the riots and disturbances in Jerusalem that spread to Judea, Samaria 
and Gaza and later, to Israel itself.

I find it most regrettable and disturbing that your spokesman has 
been swayed by slanderous propaganda on the part of the Palestinian 
leaders and media, intended to put pressure on Israel and the US to 
make additional concessions in the negotiations, under threat of 
violence if their demands are not met.

I have expressed my concern and regret at the widespread violence and 
the senseless loss of lives and injuries on both sides.  But it must 
be clearly understood that it wasn't my visit to The Temple Mount the 
holiest site for Jews and under full Israeli sovereignty - that 
ignited the current outbreak of violence.

Israel's Security Establishment has publicly presented its 
conclusions that the violent riots and armed confrontations, are part 
of a premeditated and organized campaign initiated by the Palestinian 
Authority (P.A.). This campaign began over ten days ago in the 
Netzarim area in Gaza, starting with stone throwing and escalating to 
the use of firearms and explosives against Israeli soldiers and 
civilians travelling there,

These riots have spread out through the deliberate incitement (prior 
to the visit) by the  'Tanzim' (the armed  militia  of Chairman 
Arafat's  Fatah  organization).  Last Friday Arafat instructed the 
'Tanzim' to escalate the riots.  Moreover, Palestinian Security 
Chiefs have been directly involved in inciting the violence and in 
ordering Palestinian Police to open fire on Israeli soldiers, Police 
and civilians.

Arab Members of the Knesset (MKs) have contributed to and joined this 
violent campaign by repeated incitement calling Arab Israelis as well 
as Palestinians to resort to violence prior, during and after my 
visit to The Temple Mount.

This is not the first time I'm visiting The Temple Mount.  The 
Inspector General of the Police has explained that the large Forces 
which the Police deployed to safeguard the visit, were required due 
to Palestinian threats prior to the visit to resort to large scale 
violence in order to take control of the Western Wall area below The 
Temple Mount.

I wish to emphasize, Mrs. Secretary, that Prime Minister Barak has 
already stated very clearly that every Israeli citizen, be it Arab or 
Jew, has a right to visit any place which is under Israeli 
sovereignty.

The united city of Jerusalem, which you are all very familiar with, 
as well as The Temple Mount, are under full Israeli sovereignty. 
Neither I, nor any Israeli citizen need to seek permission from the 
PA or from any foreign entity to visit there or any other site which 
is sovereign territory of the State of Israel.

As for myself, I wish to assure you that despite the recent violent 
events I remain fully committed to achieving peace with all our Arab 
neighbors including the Palestinians.

I believe we can reach peace, but it must be durable and real peace 
based first and foremost on complete negation of violence. 
Furthermore, it requires Arab Palestinian recognition and acceptance 
of the historical inherent rights that Jews have on their land in 
their undivided Capital Jerusalem and particularly sovereign rights 
and free access to our most sacred site on The Temple Mount. This 
right is granted and has only been safeguarded to every Israeli 
citizen as well as visitors, regardless of race, creed or religion 
since Israel united the city in 1967.

Sincerely Yours.
Ariel Sharon, Chairman
Likud Party