Jewish settlers rampaged through the West Bank city of Hebron Sunday, smashing the windows of Palestinian homes and setting cars ablaze as they prepared to bury a settler killed by Palestinians. In an interview published Sunday by the U.S. magazine Newsweek, Israeli Prime minister, Ariel Sharon dismissed the Quartet 'roadmap' peace plan as rubbish and offered recognizing a temporary disarmed Palestinian State without borders if 'terrorism' stops adding that the final borders of a Palestinian state could be discussed later.

The settler violence in Hebron came nine days ahead of Israel's elections, which polls show Sharon's rightist Likud party, seen as tougher on Palestinian militants, is likely to win.

Israeli occupation forces in Hebron braced for possible rioting by settlers during the funeral procession of Nathanel Ozeri, killed by Palestinian resistance men.

Israeli media reported that Ozeri was a member of the outlawed anti-Arab Kach movement and had been jailed for participating in riots during the funeral of another settler in Hebron in July.

Kach seeks the expulsion of Palestinians from Israel, the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

SHARON DISMISSES "QUARTET"

In an interview published Sunday by the U.S. magazine Newsweek, Sharon dismissed as unimportant a quartet of peace envoys from the United States, Russia, the European Union and the United Nations.

In the interview, Sharon reiterated his peace blueprint allowing for a Palestinian state with temporary borders if "terrorism" stops and turning President Yasser Arafat into a figurehead as part of Palestinian Authority reforms.

The Israeli leader said that once there was a complete halt to violence he would be ready to negotiate the final borders of a Palestinian state.

Palestinians have rejected Sharon's peace vision as a sham intended to sabotage efforts to broker a peace deal to establish a viable Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, lands captured by Israel in the 1967 Middle East war.

Israel & The United States Conduct Joint Military Exercises

Israeli and U.S. forces Sunday began joint air defense exercises as the Jewish state prepared for possible Scud missile strikes by Iraq if the brewing conflict between Baghdad and Washington erupts into war.

Sharon told his cabinet Sunday it was unlikely that Israel would come under attack if the United States launched an assault on Iraq over its claim that Saddam Hussein has amassed weapons of mass destruction.

Barghouthi's Trial to Proceed

In Tel Aviv, Judge Sarah Sirota, head of a three-judge panel, said a district court would begin hearing evidence on April 6 in the trial of prominent Palestinian uprising leader Marwan Barghouthi. He is being prosecuted by Israel for his alleged involvement in the killing of 26 people.

Israel accuses Barghouthi, a leader of Palestinian President Yasser Arafat's Fatah faction in the West Bank, of masterminding a spate of attacks. Barghouthi denies the charges and says the trial is politically motivated.

PHOTO CAPTION

Palestinian youths hurl stones toward an Israeli occupation army vehicle during clashes in the west bank city of Nablus, January 18, 2003. Israeli occupation troops killed a Palestinian outside. (Abed Omar Qusini/Reuter