February 22, 2002	Friday	Zilhaj 9, 1422

AL QUDS, Feb 21: Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said on Thursday that his government had decided to establish “buffer zones” to protect Israelis from Palestinian attackers and would continue to work to prevent “total war”.

“We decided to establish buffer zones in order to achieve a separation,” he told a news conference. “We decided to start immediately and put in obstacles.” Sharon did not elaborate but some far-right ministers have demanded special security zones bordering Palestinian areas in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

Sharon vowed to continue to meet Palestinian figures in the quest for peace but would continue to fight “terrorists with all our strength”.

He spoke after Israel carried out raids on Palestinian positions across the West Bank and Gaza Strip, killing eight Palestinians and hitting Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat’s headquarters.

This week has seen the heaviest sustained violence yet in a nearly 17-month-old uprising against Israeli occupation.

UN COUNCIL: UN Security Council members weighed Arab demands on Thursday to take a stand on the escalating Middle East crisis, but the United States was expected to block any measure critical of Israel.

The 15-nation body first invited UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan to set the stage later on Thursday and give a public address on how he saw the crisis.

Palestinians and Arab nations want a resolution, which diplomats said would ask for a Security Council mission to the region, possibly a prelude to an outside monitoring group they have advocated several times over the past year and which Israel and the United States reject.—AFP/Reuters