Sharon sees risk of harm to Arafat if he is seized

Israeli PM Ariel Sharon said in an interview published on Friday that it would be difficult to seize Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat without harming him and that US objections to such action would have to be taken into account.

‘‘It is very hard to promise that if we seize and take him, that he won’t be hurt,’’ Sharon told Yedioth Ahronot, a Israeli daily. ‘‘We must take the Americans into account. It could be that their assessment, that this would cause problems in West Asia, is correct. Their main interest is Iraq.’’

Sharon has refused to deal with Arafat and has repeatedly accused him of failing to stop suicide bombings and other attacks against Israeli civilians by Palestinian factions.