Responding to Sharon's comments, Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage told reporters in Washington:
"Our position on such questions -- the exile or assassination of Yasser Arafat -- is very well known. We are opposed and we have made that very clear to the government of Israel."

Hanegbi strongly rebuffed Washington's criticism, telling Israel Radio "it seems to me that it should be the last one that can preach to us about how to implement our right to self-defense."

Hanegbi asserted that U.S. forces had been killing militant leaders in Iraq and Afghanistan "some of whom haven't touched a hair on the head of any American in the United States." He noted last year's killing of Saddam Hussein's two sons by U.S. forces.