Israel's far-right and the Palestinian authorities havecondemned Prime Minister Mr Ariel Sharon's proposal for a temporary Palestinian state.
Yesterday, Mr Sharon called for the creation of astate with temporary borders covering around 40 per cent of the West Bank and three-quarters of the Gaza Strip.
Mr Sharon said he would be open to the creation of an "interim" state only after there is "an absolute end to terror" and new Palestinian leadership to replace President Yasser Arafat.
He said Israel would allow such a state in areas of the West Bank and Gaza Strip already given over to full or partial Palestinian control under 1990s accords but that Israel would maintain a grip on "essential security areas.
"The Palestinian state will be demilitarised. It will be able to have police with light weapons. Israel will control the borders and airspace," Mr Sharon said.
Palestinian cabinet minister Mr Saeb Erekat said: "Sharon is repeating his ideas of a long-term interim solution on 40 per cent of the West Bank and 70 per cent of the Gaza Strip. This will not fly . . . the only road to peace is when Israel withdraws to the June 1967 borders".
Mr Effi Eitam, who heads the Israeli right-wing National Religious Party, also condemned the Sharon proposal.
"The policies which Ariel Sharon is following are very dangerous and would threaten Israel's security, because the creation of a Palestinian state would be tantamount to conceding defeat to terrorism," the minister without portfolio said.
AFP