TEL AVIV, April 9: Israel hopes the Palestinians “will draw the right conclusions” from the US takeover of Baghdad and opt for “a more peaceful leadership of their own”, a senior aide to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said on Wednesday.

“Now that the Iraqi people, thanks to America and Britain, are getting rid of their own brutal dictatorship, we hope that also our Palestinian neighbours will draw the right conclusions and give the necessary authority to a more peaceful leadership of their own, which will fight against terror and violence and engage Israel in genuine peace talks based on compromise,” said Zalman Shoval.

“The rapid and, to me not surprising, events in Bagdad and the soon-to-be expected disappearance of the Saddam regime may create the chance for a new and more peaceful Middle East which hopefully will have a beneficial effect also with regard to other terrorist or terrorist-supporting forces in the region,” he said.

Mr Shoval, a foreign policy adviser, was talking as US forces took over Baghdad.—AFP