'Pullout will not be delayed'

Prime Minister Ariel Sharon landed in New York Sunday en route to Washington for the annual American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) conference. Speaking to reporters on his flight to the U.S., Sharon demanded an end to recent Palestinian attacks in the Gaza Strip, saying there must be "complete quiet" for peace making to move forward. "Abu Mazen (Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas) knows what he has to do," Sharon told reporters. "There certainly has to be complete quiet. Without quiet, it will be impossible to move forward on the peace process." Sharon reiterated that Israel would launch a harsh military response if IDF troops came under fire during the planned withdrawal from Gaza in the summer. However, senior Israeli officials said no major military operations in Gaza were currently planned. He also dismissed “baseless” local media reports that the pullout may be delayed past mid-August. "Disengagement is to be carried out exactly at the time it has been set," he said. The IDF spokesman’s office said in response the rumors that senior IDF officials suggested postponing disengagement by six months are “unfounded.” Speaking Sunday at a going-away party organized by the Homefront Command, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Moshe Yaalon said, “I read the supposed quotations of senior officers who are asking to push off disengagement... I don’t know where this comes from, but there’s no truth to it. The IDF was ready for disengagement in July and is ready to do it on its new date.” Ayalon's future uncertain Sharon departed for the U.S. Saturday and was met by Ambassador to the U.S Danny Ayalon, who flew to New York to welcome Sharon. Ayalon is set to accompany Sharon during his visit with the New York Jewish community and at the AIPAC conference on Tuesday. Sharon, who appointed Ayalon ambassador, is interested in extending his term for another year, despite Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom’s announcement Saturday of his plan to terminate his position. Ayalon is set to step down as ambassador in autumn. Sharon's office said recently that while the prime minister does not interfere with Foreign Ministry appointments, the position of ambassador to Washington traditionally falls under Sharon’s jurisdiction and thus Sharon must make the final decision. Meanwhile, special investigator from the Civil Service Commission Natanel Levitt spent the past week in Washington investigating two affairs - Ayalon’s complaint against Shalom and complaints filed against Shalom’s wife, Judy Nir-Mozes- Shalom. “A concluded report of the double investigation will be published for the public and nothing will be hidden, including the claims and decisions,” he told Ynet. A source in Sharon's delegation said regarding recent publications on public sector corruption "There is no doubt action must be taken to mend the situation, but with regard to Maariv's (daily newspaper) campaign on the issue – it should be examined what is the motivation behind it." Overshadowed by FBI investigation? While AIPAC’s annual conference is set to open in Washington Sunday, an FBI investigation into allegations that several AIPAC personnel transferred classified documents to Israel, has placed a shadow over the conference. For this very reason Sharon has decide to make the trip to Washington and not televise his speech from Jerusalem as he has done in previous years. However, the FBI investigation is not Sharon’s primary concern for this trip - he is more concerned with rallying support for his disengagement plan scheduled for summer. Sharon’s office said they are convinced most American Jews support the plan, but are also aware of a split in the community regarding the issue. This is an opportunity to spread Sharon’s political doctrine, and Israel’s national objectives following pullout, like aliyah and developing the Negev and Galilee, sources close to Sharon said. Sharon has not managed to met with many Jewish communities in the U.S. for several years, due to a heavy work load and terror attacks, which have cut his visit short, they said. This year’s conference is set to be the largest ever, withSharon, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Senator Hilary Clinton and Republican and Democratic leaders scheduled to address the 4,000 pro-Israel supporters during the three-day conference. - Associated Press contributed to this report

'Pullout will not be delayed'

Prime minister arrives in New York en route to Washington to participate in annual conference; denies rumors that pullout may be delayed past August