"If a new Palestinian leadership which is both serious and responsible emerges, it is possible that there can be a resumption on negotiations on the roadmap" peace plan, Sharon was quoted as saying at the weekly cabinet meeting.

"I am not sure that that will happen," he added.

High level Israeli-Palestinian talks have been frozen for more than a year and Israel has had no contact with Palestinian Authority leader Arafat since Sharon came to power in 2001.

Meanwhilm, emergency sessions of the Palestinian parliament and national security council were being held yesterday to absorb the shockwaves triggered by Yasser Arafat'{ departure from the West Bank.

Amid speculation that the Palestinian leadership could fall into chaos should the veteran leader not recover from a serious blood disease, officials have sought to present a united and firm business-as-usual picture to the world.

Foreign minister Nabil Shaath told journalists ahead of the security council meeting that the body was determined to streamline the myriad security apparatus -- which Arafat had been under consistent pressure to reform.

While the 75-year-old iconic leader had given assurances that he would cut down the number of services, he never turned his words into action.

"Its aim is to ensure the security agencies, or organisations will be revamped and given all the support (they need) to fulfill their duties," Shaath said of the meeting.

"Whether during the presence of Mr Arafat or his absence, security has to be maintained. These are his instructions and the assistant chairman of the NSC, which is the prime minister, will lead the meeting."

Prime minister Ahmed Qorei was to chair the security council meeting, grouping together the maze of Palestinian security services. His predecessor Mahmud Abbas was also to head a meeting Sunday of Arafat's Fatah faction.

Abbas has become acting Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) chairman since Arafat was dramatically air-lifted out of the West Bank for treatment in Paris, with Qorei handling day-to-day Palestinian Authority affairs.