I want you to be ready to take my place, Ariel Sharon told me.

The Palestinians are facing a historic junction at which they will have to decide whether they want to remain stuck in a corner of extreme fundamentalism, which will cut them off from the entire world, or whether they are ready to take the necessary steps. My role is to assist in building this process.

Ariel definitely came in ready to hit the ball.

I'm no wealthier than Bibi Netanyahu or Arik Sharon. I don't feel that I'm more hedonistic than Ehud Olmert, or Yitzhak Rabin or Shimon Peres.

I was not interested in being minister of defense or minister of foreign affairs.

Stopping all the violent and hostile actions means ending the smuggling of arms into the Gaza territory.