JERUSALEM, Sept. 10 (Xinhuanet) -- Senior Israeli defense officials on Friday dismissed Foreign Minster Silvan Shalom's call to expel Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, calling Shalom's comments as "empty words meant for domestic political consumption".

    "The background to these pronouncements is political," one defense official said on condition of anonymity, adding that Shalom was playing to his constituency inside the Likud party.

    Shalom, addressing a rally of Likud activists in Tel Aviv Wednesday night, said Arafat's expulsion is "closer than ever".

    He has been calling for Arafat's expulsion for months. Shalom's remarks came three days after similar statement made by Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz.

    Mofaz told Israel Army Radio on Monday that the cabinet decision of a year ago to remove Arafat was still in place, and that "Israel will seek the timing and the manner in which to expel" him.

    Israeli security officials said one major obstacle standing inthe way of removing Arafat is a commitment Prime Minister Arial Sharon gave to US President George W.Bush that Arafat would not be harmed.

    Shortly after a twin suicide bombing in Beer Sheva on Aug. 31, which killed 16 people, a senior official in Sharon's office said that keeping Arafat penned up in Ramallah is the best choice for Israel. Enditem