Sharon renews threat to 'remove' Arafat

Prime Minister Ariel Sharon yesterday renewed Israel's threat to "remove" Yasser Mr Arafat, just hours after Israeli warplanes and helicopters killed two militants and a bystander in air strikes in Gaza.

Despite that, Mr Sharon said in a policy speech that he remained committed to a US-backed Middle East "road map" and even saw a real chance for progress toward a peace settlement with the Palestinians in coming months.

But he pointed the finger at the Palestinian president as the main stumbling block.

"This man is the biggest obstacle to peace and therefore Israel is determined to bring about his removal from the political arena," he said in a speech to parliament, interrupted frequently by heckling from left-wing and Israeli Arab deputies.

Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat accused the right-wing prime minister of using his speech to "undermine peace".

"He reiterated his commitment to building walls (in the West Bank) and (Jewish) settlements and to continued use of the most disproportionate force against people who have no navy or air force or army," he told Reuters.

Mr Sharon offered no new initiatives and instead reaffirmed many of his hardline policies, including a decision by his security cabinet last month to eventually remove Mr Arafat from power.