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US, Israeli Leaders Dismiss Arafat Vow to End Terror VOA News 3 Feb 2002 19:30 UTC 
U.S. and Israeli officials are dismissing statements by Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat that he is determined to end terror attacks.
Secretary of State Colin Powell says he is pleased Mr. Arafat condemns terrorism, but said action is what is needed. National Security Adviser Condoleeza Rice says the United States has not yet seen the 100 percent effort from Mr. Arafat that is needed to get the peace process going again.
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon also signaled he wants to see actions rather than words. Mr. Sharon says he is not persuaded by the Palestinian leader's remarks and does not believe anybody else should be.
In an article published Sunday in The New York Times, Mr. Arafat says terrorist groups "do not represent the Palestinian people, or their legitimate aspirations for freedom." He says Palestinians want to end their conflict with Israel, and that he and his negotiators are ready to meet Israeli leaders to negotiate a peace deal.
Earlier, Mr. Sharon told his cabinet Sunday that he would not rule out a second round of high-level meetings with senior Palestinian officials.
At the cabinet meeting, Mr. Sharon confirmed he held candid discussions last week with three leading Palestinian figures, including the deputy head of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas. He said the talks focused on ways to end more than 16 months of fighting that has left more than 1,000 people dead and thousands more injured.
Israeli media reports say the Palestinian officials demanded that Israel stop the planned killings of Palestinians suspected of plotting deadly attacks against Israeli civilians.
Mr. Sharon reportedly told the Palestinians he would do so only if the Palestinian leadership made a serious effort to halt the terrorist attacks. He also said Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, who remains under virtual house arrest, will not be allowed to travel until he hands over those responsible for last year's assassination of Israel's tourism minister, Rehavam Ze'evi.
Mr. Sharon is due in Washington this week for talks with President Bush.
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