Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon warned Friday that Israel would react "extremely hard" if "the Palestinian terrorist organizations attack" during the Israeli pullout from Gaza and part of the West Bank next month.

"I have talked with some Palestinians and I have well explained to them the great importance that this will take place in calm," Sharon told Europe 1 radio at the end of a three-day visit to France.

"If the Palestinian terrorist organizations act and attack during the withdrawal...then there will be an extremely hard reaction from Israel," the 77-year-old former army commander said.

Sharon said the pullout would be carried out as scheduled whatever the opposition from Israeli settlers.

"The Israeli army and habitants of the settlements will start to evacuate on Aug. 15... despite huge difficulties we'll encounter, despite the suffering this decision provokes," he said.

"It may be the most difficult decision that I had to make. But I know that it is extremely important for Israel... And I am convinced that Israel will arrive to some important result in return from this disengagement," he said, adding that he would never make any compromise on Israeli security.

Sharon called his visit to Paris "dawn of a new era" in bilateral relations and a "return to a beautiful period of the past" when France and Israel maintained extremely close ties in the 1950s.

He said he had no doubt that the relationship will progress after decades of difficulties.

During his stay in France, Sharon met President Jacques Chirac, Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin and Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy. He also had talks with European and French Jewish leaders.

The Israeli prime minister described his meeting with Chirac as "extremely friendly and warm."

Chirac commended Sharon for leading Israel's planned withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, while Sharon praised French authorities' efforts to curb anti-Semitism, saying France should serve as a model for the rest of Europe.

"France has a central role in everything that happens in the Middle East, in Lebanon, in Syria and Iran," Sharon said.

France and Israel have had years of strained ties over the Israeli allegations of pro-Arab bias in French foreign policy and a surge in attacks on Jewish targets in France.

Last year Sharon angered the French by saying France was home to "the wildest anti-Semitism" and urged French Jews to move to Israel.

Source: Xinhua