In a newspaper interview published on Friday Sharon offered a stern warning to Arafat and Hizbollah leader Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah "I wouldn't suggest either one of them should feel secure. I wouldn't propose that any insurance company give them coverage".

"Anyone who kills a Jew or harms an Israeli citizen, or sends someone to kill Jews, is a marked man. Period."

Arafat seemed unmoved by Sharon�s comment when he spoke with reporters outside his war ravaged compound in Ramallah on Saturday. "I don't care for it. I am caring for my people, for our children, for our women, for our students,� Arafat said. 

This may become a major issue when Sharon meets with U.S. President George W. Bush on April 14th. Despite his comments that Arafat is an insurance risk, Sharon also reiterated his promise to Bush that Israel would not harm the Palestinian leader.  

Israeli Internal Security Minister Tsahi Hanegbi took to Israel Radio to say that the U.S. has no right to demand that Israel take no action against Arafat and cited the fact that U.S. forces have recently taken out militants in both Iraq and Afghanistan. 

"It should be the last one who can preach to us about how to implement our right to self-defense," Hanegbi told listeners.
 

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