ARABS-ISRAEL - May 24 - Sharon Reaffirms Gaza Plan, But Warns Attacks Must Stop.

PM Ariel Sharon declares despite criticism in Israel and among Jews in the US, his plan to pull military forces and settlers out of the Gaza Strip and part of the West Bank will proceed on schedule. But he also warned the Palestinians that more action was needed to stop attacks on Israelis. Speaking to 4,000 applauding supporters at the annual meeting of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, Sharon mixed determination to work for what he said could be "a new era of trust" leading to a Palestinian state with blunt talk that no state would be possible without security guarantees for Israel. He spoke just as the Palestinian Pres Mahmoud Abbas, was about to arrive in Washington for a visit of his own, including a meeting with Pres Bush. Sharon praised Abbas but said the Palestinian's promise to get control of Palestinian security forces and prevent attacks on Israel "must be translated into real actions on the ground. Until now, terrorist activities have not yet ceased. The smuggling of weapons and arms production continues, and there is no real prevention of terrorist actions", Sharon said. Progress toward a Palestinian state "can be achieved only after the terrorist organizations are dismantled", he said. There was some disruption from a couple of hecklers opposed to the Gaza plan, as there was at an earlier talk on May 22 in New York, but in general the audience was enthusiastic and supportive. Sharon's visit was billed as private, and he did not meet with Bush or the president's top aides. But senior aides to Sharon were busy meeting with Bush administration officials, in part to discuss actions to be taken by Israel that might strengthen Abbas' standing. Among those was one that Sharon said he would carry out as soon as he returned to Israel: the release of another 400 Palestinian prisoners. Israel released 500 after Sharon's pledge to do more on that score when he met with Abbas in Sharm el Sheik, Egypt, in February. In addition, under White House pressure, Israel is moving toward pulling its forces from another West Bank town, probably Qalqilya, according to Israeli officials. Israeli forces have withdrawn in recent months from Jericho and Tulkarem. But Israeli officials maintain that the Palestinian security forces in those cities have lagged in stopping groups determined to attack Israel and in arresting fugitives that Israel says have carried out attacks or were planning them. Contradicting the Israeli assessment, Lt Gen William Ward, a deputy commanding general of the US Army in Europe and the administration's security envoy to the Palestinians, said last week that the PA had taken "essential steps" to reorganise its control of security agencies. Ward said there was "more to be done, to be sure", but he suggested that the Palestinians were heading in the right direction. The comment was disputed by Israeli officials in private, but they did not want to say so publicly because they did not want to get into a dispute with the Bush administration. The administration has its own campaign to strengthen Abbas' standing among Palestinians amid mounting concern that the militant group Hamas is gaining popularity. But Palestinians say the administration's efforts have fallen short. For example, the administration's attempt to channel $200m in direct aid to the Palestinians was approved by Congress with restrictions, including one that the money must go through Israel or through private groups, not the PA itself.