Shamir, Sharon Exchange Verbal Blows : Clash Occurs Over Talks With Palestinians About Election Plan

Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir and hawkish rival Ariel Sharon clashed angrily in a closed-door meeting Wednesday night over talks with Palestinians on an Israeli plan for elections in the occupied territories.

Political sources said Trade Minister Sharon, who insists there must be no balloting before an end to the uprising, attacked Shamir in front of Likud Party ministers.

Israeli newspapers, briefed by ministers close to Shamir, published near-identical accounts of the exchange.

Asked by Sharon why he had not been informed of the talks with local Arabs, which Sharon views as harmful to Israel’s security, Shamir was quoted as saying:

“Everyone in this room hears secrets from me, and they do not leak them. You leak everything. It’s impossible to tell you anything.”

Sharon retorted: “I am not prepared and not able to compete with you in vulgarity. I have only contempt for your behavior.”

Shamir: “You create an ugly atmosphere and hatred among us.”

Sharon: “I can only laugh at your statements.”

Shamir: “We’ll see who laughs last.”

Newspapers quoted ministers close to Shamir as saying the premier may be forced to fire Sharon if he does not stop such attacks.

As defense minister, Sharon led Israel’s costly 1982 invasion of Lebanon to evict PLO guerrillas. He was forced to resign in 1983 for indirect responsibility in a massacre by Lebanese Christians of Palestinian civilians in refugee camps in an Israeli-controlled area of Beirut.

Meanwhile, Palestinian lawyers today announced a one-month boycott of Israeli military courts in the occupied West Bank, accusing Israel of violating basic legal principles.

Bahig Tamimi, head of the Arab Lawyers Assn., said the 250 lawyers in his organization will refuse to appear before the military courts until Aug. 20.