Jerusalem: With Yasser Arafat seriously ill due to a "mystery" blood disease, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon today (Oct 31, 2004) said he was willing to hold talks with a new Palestinian leadership after the charismatic leader's removal from the scene.

If a new Palestinian leadership emerges which is both serious and responsible and is willing to put forth a real effort to dismantle terror infrastructures, Israel would be willing to renew negotiations based on the internationally brokered 'road map' plan for peace, Sharon told a cabinet meeting in Jerusalem.

He said Israel will continue to move ahead with the controversial "disengagement plan", calling for the evacuation of the Gaza Strip and four isolated settlements in the West Bank.

"As long as there will be no partner, we will push forward with the disengagement plan that was approved by the Government and the Knesset," he said.

Arafat was flown to Paris on Friday (Oct 29, 2004) to receive emergency treatment after collapsing in his Ramallah headquarters, where he had been kept a virtual prisoner for the past three years by Israel.

Sharon today scored a major victory over his arch-rival, Finance Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, when Education Minister Limor Livnat backed out of her threat to resign if a referendum is not called on the "disengagement plan" within 14 days saying, "it lacks majority".

Netanyahu and Livnat had both threatened to resign soon after the Knesset voted in favour of the "disengagement plan", saying that a referendum was necessary to keep the Likud party and the nation united.