Israel’s Sharon Defends Call for Arafat Assassination

WASHINGTON — Israeli Trade Minister Ariel Sharon on Wednesday defended his call for the assassination of Palestine Liberation Organization Chairman Yasser Arafat and drew a comparison with what he said was former President Ronald Reagan’s attempt to kill Libyan leader Moammar Kadafi.

“There are certain people whose activities cannot be tolerated by the free democratic society,” he said. “Therefore, they should be removed in order to enable normal life to free society.”

Sharon, speaking at a news conference sponsored by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, said Reagan “took a step like that. Kadafi is one of these people, and the United States tried to kill him.”