MOSCOW, April 3 (Xinhuanet) -- Russia on Saturday condemned Israel's threat to assassinate Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, saying the move was against international law and was unacceptable.

    Russia said the statements made by Israel "on direct threats toYasser Arafat, legitimately elected leader of the Palestinian people" was "unacceptable", Itar-Tass news agency quoted Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Yakovenko as saying.

    "Russia came against extrajudicial executions that violate the norms of international law," the spokesman said. The assassinationattempt will undermine "the efforts taken to stop violence and start a constructive dialogue between the warring sides," he added.

    Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said in interviews published on Friday that Arafat and Lebanese guerrilla chief Hassan Nasrallah were on his assassination list.

    Yakovenko said Russia urges the Palestinian leadership to take necessary steps in order to "put an end to the activity of terrorist groups" which "hamper the aspirations of the Palestinianpeople" who strive to "build their own independent state that willlive in peace with Israel." Enditem