CORRECTION: PM Sharon Meets With US Secy. of State Condoleeza Rice; Dr.
Rice: :"We Will Never Hold Contacts With Hamas."

(Communicated by the Prime Minister's Media Adviser)
Monday, 14 November, 2005 15:36

Prime Minister Ariel Sharon met this morning (Monday), 14.11.05, with US
Secretary of State Dr. Condoleeza Rice. The Prime Minister said at the
start of the meeting: "We welcome Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice, a
friend of Israel who has worked very hard to reach a diplomatic settlement
between Israel and the Palestinians and is making great efforts to
strengthen the democratization process in the Middle East. We are pleased
to welcome her and I am certain that this visit will strengthen the network
of bilateral relations."

US Secy. of State Rice thanked the Prime Minister and conveyed greetings
from US President George Bush. She said that US President Bush and the
American people admired Prime Minister Sharon's courage and leadership in
successfully implementing the Disengagement Plan. She said that she expects
to continue working closely with the Prime Minister and his team on
advancing toward a solution of two states living side by side in peace,
without terrorism, in a more democratic manner, and in bringing peace to the
entire region.

Prime Minister Sharon congratulated US Secy. of State Rice on her birthday
and presented her with a gift - a Bible in Hebrew and English with Jerusalem
embossed in gold on the cover; she thanked him for the gift.

Prime Minister Sharon briefed US Secy. of State Rice on developments
regarding the Rafiah crossing and told her the issue is due to be resolved;
he praised the work of quartet envoy James Wolfensohn. Dr. Rice thanked the
Prime Minister for the progress and added that she hoped a deal would be
signed today.

The US Secy. of State said that while the US would never ask the Prime
Minister to do anything that might impair Israel's security, it was
important to see how matters could be otherwise helped along. She added
that while Palestinian Authority (PA) Chairman Abu Mazen is not doing what
is expected of him, he is better than previous leaders and is certainly
better than the alternative.

Prime Minister Sharon emphasized that Hamas's participation in the elections
would be a serious mistake because the participation of an armed terrorist
organization would only weaken Abu Mazen: "While we will not interfere in
the elections we will not coordinate on them and will not allow Hamas
members to either work or move about other than they do today. Hamas's
participation could lead to the end of the Roadmap, if there is a situation
in which an armed terrorist organization is a political partner in the
Palestinian administration. While we fully support the President's
democratization efforts, we will not help Hamas. We will not help those who
murder Jews even if they participate in the elections. Nowhere in the world
would they be allowed to participate in elections. Even according to the
Oslo accords, they were not allowed to participate in elections." The Prime
Minister stressed that only if Hamas disarms and annuls its covenant
(http://tinyurl.com/9fzok), which calls for the destruction of Israel, would
Israel be able to assist the elections and accept Hamas's participation in
them.

Prime Minister Sharon said that if Abu Mazen does not fight terrorism now,
he will be less likely to do so after the elections. The Prime Minister
noted that after going home last to the Shikmim farm, he heard artillery
fire all night.

US Secy. of State Rice said that she believes that after the PA elections,
it will be easier to compel Hamas to disarm because the pressure will come
from the entire international community. She said that this was what had
happened in northern Ireland and Angola. She said that she respects the
Israeli position and added that if Abu Mazen does not disarm Hamas, he would
lose both American and international support. Dr. Rice said that the US
would never hold contacts with Hamas or Islamic Jihad even if they are in
the administration, adding that the US would never countenance a situation
in which terrorist organizations that remain armed take part in the
Palestinian administration.