JERUSALEM - Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said on Friday he was no longer bound by a pledge he gave President Bush not to harm Palestinian President Yasser Arafat. "I said during in our first meeting about three years ago that I accepted his request not to harm Arafat physically," Sharon told Israel's Channel 2. "But I am released from this commitment. I release myself from this commitment regarding Arafat."

Sharon said he told this to Bush last week during a meeting with him at the White House, where he received U.S. approval for his plan to unilaterally evacuate all settlements from the Gaza Strip and some in the West Bank.

Sharon gave no indication that any move against Arafat was imminent. Although the United States does not acknowledge the Palestinian leader, Washington is opposed to Israel killing him.

Shortly after Sharon's comments, the State Department said it stood by its opposition to the assassination of Arafat.

"Nothing has changed in the U.S. position and I will look at the statement and see what we have to say," State Department spokesman Richard Boucher told reporters.

An advisor for Arafat, Nabil Abu Rdainah, said Sharon's statement would lead to increased tensions in the region.

"We reject Sharon's statement and demand clarification from Mr. Bush on such a statement and hold Sharon responsible for such a dangerous statement," he said. "This is an escalation and will lead to increased tensions."

Sharon's tough talk could go down well among members of his right-wing Likud party who will vote on his Gaza withdrawal plan on May 2.

Sharon's televised comments expanded on similar remarks he made in a newspaper interview several weeks ago.

© Copyright Reuters 2004.

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