Powell can only meet with Arafata

Israeli premier Ariel Sharon continued to opt for military solution without recognizing that such solution will never bring him any political or security gains, Palestinian cabinet Secretary Ahmed Abderrahman said.

Sharon's ongoing massacres in Jenin will turn the Israeli people's file into hell, abderrahman added.

He referred to the recent statements made by US President George W. Bush and State Secretary Colin Powell who said he does not intend to meet with President Yasser Arafat.

These statements gave Sharon a green light to continue his crime against the Palestinian President, Abderrahman said.

Earlier yesterday, Palestinian local government minister Saeb Erekat expressed concern over Arafat's life.

All contacts were cut off with Arafat, he said. "If they're saying that Powell might not meet with Arafat as a way of practicing pressures on us, we would say no Palestinian official will meet with Powell," said Erekat.

Erekat elaborated that Arafat is the head of Palestinian legitimacy and the elected chief of the Palestinian people and "US president Bush should refrain from using improper vocabulary against Arafat, a matter which we totally reject."