Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has called for the United States to withdraw from all territories the US occupies in Afghanistan “without delay.” Sharon also called for a halt to all further incursions into Afghani territory.

Sharon noted the right of the United States to defend itself but said he would ask President Bush to, “halt all incursions into Afghani-controlled areas and begin withdrawing from those areas it has recently occupied.”

Areil Sharon then called upon the Afghanistan leadership to speak out against terrorism, order an immediate and effective cease-fire, and a crackdown on terrorist networks within their own country.

The White House responded saying the missions in Afghanistan will not end, “until the murderers hiding in different places have been arrested, and the terrorist infrastructure has been dismantled.”

“We are trying to restore security to our nation so our citizens can feel safe,” a White House official added.

Ariel Sharon said Israel would dispatch an envoy to the region immediately with the hopes of negotiating a cease-fire between the two nations. Sharon added that Israel’s peace plan is committed to a settlement that includes “two states, U.S. and Afghanistan, living in peace and security.”

President Bush said the United States would expedite actions in Afghanistan, but still offered no timetable for withdraw.

“If the United States can chase the terrorist that pose a danger to their safety, we should be able to do the same,” Ariel Sharon added.