JERUSALEM: Israel's vice-premier said yesterday killing Palestinian President Yasser Arafat was an option in its threat to "remove" him as an obstacle to peace.

"Killing (him) is definitely one of the options," Ehud Olmert, a mainstream member of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's cabinet, told Israel Radio.

"We are trying to eliminate all the heads of terror, and Arafat is one of the heads of terror," Olmert said.

Palestinian chief peace negotiator Saeb Erekat said in response: "This is the thinking and action of the mafia - not a government."

Israel's security cabinet decided to "remove" Arafat after two suicide bombings killed 15 Israelis on Tuesday. But the vague wording left room for several options, including exiling, isolating or killing Arafat - a proposal which media reports said hardline Defence Minister Shaul Mofaz raised but Sharon shot down.

Agencies via Xinhua

(China Daily 09/15/2003 page1)