ARABS-ISRAEL - Feb. 3 - Peres Hits Tehran.

Attending the World Economic Forum in New York, FM Peres says in an interview with The IHT: "Iran has given Hizbollah a collection of 8,000 Katusha missiles with a range of between 20 and 70 kilometres over the last six months, and those missiles pose a direct threat to Israel". He warns Beirut that Israel will not tolerate any missile attacks from Lebanese territory. After holding 2-hour talks with Arafat aides and meeting Jordanian King Abdullah, Peres says: "Iran has received an old North Korean Shihab-3 missile with a range of 1,200 kilometres. And now Iran, in collaboration with North Korea, is trying to build a missile with a range of 10,000 kilometres that could threaten North America". (Analysts say that in making the charges against Iran and North Korea, Peres appeared to be providing a timely backup to US Pres. Bush, who sparked anger in the Middle East last week when he charged that Iran, Iraq and North Korea formed an "axis of evil" and were developing weapons of mass destruction. Diplomats say Peres has discussed the intelligence data on Iran's alleged role in providing missiles to Hizbollah during a meeting with US State Secretary Powell). When asked to rate the chances of a ceasefire between Israel and the PA, Peres says: "Between three and four on a scale of 10". He distances himself from a remark by PM Sharon, who a few days ago said he regretted that Israel had not killed Arafat 20 years ago. Peres says: "I didn't make that statement. Mr. Sharon did, and I don't wish to comment on Mr. Sharon's statements. I was against killing Mr. Arafat then, and I am against it today. At the time, Arafat had passed an Israeli Army position and our soldiers had their rifles trained on him and could have easily shot him. But Begin gave the order not to shoot Arafat, and Begin should be praised for that decision". Asked if Arafat's confinement in Rammalah is constructive for the peace process, Peres quotes Sharon as saying: "If he becomes a partner for peace then he will not be confined... I think it would be wise for Arafat to arrest the people who killed an Israeli minister [Tourism Minister Rehavam Zeevi killed by Palestinian gunmen on Oct. 17]. The confinement is more a matter of pressure than punishment".

(On Feb. 3, Arafat said in an article in the New York Times that he condemned Palestinian "terrorist groups" that attacked Israeli civilians and said he was "determined to put an end to their activities... Palestinians are ready to end the conflict" and to sit down with "any Israeli leader, regardless of his history". Arafat said he was willing to devise "creative solutions" to the Palestinian refugee problem that would also take into account Israel's demographic concerns). Peres welcomed these remarks as a step in the right direction. He said contacts with PA officials "always" brought progress. But Sharon told Israeli TV that Arafat's comments did not amount to a fundamental policy shift, because the PA leader did not give up demands for the return of Palestinian war refugees. On Feb. 4, White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said Arafat's comments "do not change anything", and called for him to make more concrete efforts to combat terrorism. Fleischer added: "The president [Bush] continues to believe that Chairman Arafat has got to do more and to act in a concrete, lasting, meaningful, effective way to stop terrorism and to take action against terrorist groups in the Middle East".