Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said for the first time Monday that Israel would not kill Yasser Arafat, as defense officials confirmed plans to begin providing services to eight settlement outposts in the West Bank. The decision on the outposts came despite the government’s earlier pledge to remove them as part of a stalled U.S.-backed peace plan. Palestinians complained that Israel is systematically undermining the “road map” peace plan. Dismantling dozens of unauthorized settlement outposts was one of Israel’s obligations under the road map, which was launched in June with great fanfare but quickly bogged down over disagreements and violence. Full Story