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Protests outside Sharon's speech in New York. (AP)
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| By Israel Insider staff and partners May 22, 2005 |
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| AP |
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Visiting Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon was heckled during a speech to Jewish leaders on Sunday as he defended his Gaza disengagement plan.
As he spoke, several protesters in the crowd at Baruch College stood up, and one shouted: "Jews don't expel Jews."
Sharon continued the speech, but the interruptions grew louder and the prime minister had to pause as protesters were escorted out of the Baruch College auditorium in Manhattan.
"Usually I handle these things myself," Sharon joked before continuing.
According to one of those present, the episode "was extremely embarrassing and completely alien to the American mentality."
After a couple of more disturbances, including one in which a heckler called Sharon an "asshole," he responded with a sarcastic "thank you." The protesters were ejected from the hall and Sharon finished his speech, which received warm applause.
After finishing his speech, the prime minister unexpectedly returned to the podium to offer an impromptu observation. "It's impossible to defeat Jews, and we had a sign of that today," he said with a chuckle.
Hundreds demonstrated outside the college, shouting to Sharon "Shame on you." Some protesters wore orange t-shirts, the color adopted by Gaza settlers opposed to his plan to expel them from their homes later this summer.
New York City Police arrested a number of protesters for disturbing the peace.
Sharon arrived in New York for a three-day visit to the United States to bolster ties with American Jews, and to discuss domestic issues such as the Gaza withdrawal plan.
Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas "knows what he has to do," Sharon told reporters on his plane. "There certainly has to be complete quiet. Without quiet, it will be impossible to move forward on the peace process."
In recent days, a flareup of fighting in the Gaza Strip has left three Palestinian militants dead and militants fired rounds of mortar shells and rockets at Israeli communities.
Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat said Sunday that Palestinians also want hostilities to end so that talks can progress.
"Both sides should exert an effort to achieve full quiet and once the Israeli guns are silent, we can assure that we will maintain the cessation of violence against Israelis anywhere," he said.
Abbas was scheduled to arrive in Washington on Tuesday and meet with President George W. Bush on Thursday. He has said he would seek political and financial support from the United States.
Sharon reiterated that Israel would launch a harsh military response if Israeli troops came under fire during the planned withdrawal from Gaza in the summer. However, senior Israeli officials have said no major military operations in Gaza are planned.
Under the plan, Israel is to uproot all 21 Jewish settlements in Gaza and withdraw from four small settlements in Samaria. Sharon's opponents have accused him of caving in to Palestinian violence and fear the moves will lead to further territorial concessions.
Sharon dismissed as "baseless" Israeli media reports that the pullback could be delayed beyond mid-August. Sharon said the forced evacuation of Jewish settlers from Gaza would begin Aug. 16 or Aug. 17.
The AP contributed to this report.
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