"Not for nothing did the starling go to the raven -- being of his own kind" -- so says the Talmud (Babah Kamah), adding: "Birds of a feather shall flock together, and so shall man with his own kind."

When speaking of Slobodan Milosevic and Ariel Sharon, the saying poses a problem: "Slobo" and "Arik" -- which is the starling and which is the raven? Perhaps one should be content with the saying "Each to his own," so that there would be no need for the "rating" of these two great humanitarians.

In contrast to Binyamin Netanyahu, Sharon has not even made the effort to conceal his sympathy for the political objective of Milosevic: To prevent at all costs the establishment of the State of Kosova (as the Albanians call it) and even autonomy. Sharon claims that it would lead to "Greater Albania," which would serve as a base for "Islamic terror." By the way, as early as 11 years ago, when Milosevic was just beginning his campaign of incitement against the Kosovo Albanians, Sharon made a statement to an important Belgrade newspaper, saying, "We stand together with you against the Islamic terror."

There is no point in arguing with this viewpoint, which stems, among other reasons, from monumental ignorance. The Kosovo Albanians may be very close to the neighboring Albania, but they are different. They want to be a separate entity, because they believe -- perhaps with some measure of arrogance -- that they are a more advanced branch on the Albanian family tree, richer and more educated. And as far as the "Islamic terror" -- it exists solely in Sharon's racist imagination. "The Kosovo Liberation Army" is not a terrorist group but a liberation organization. It was born only after Milosevic -- with Sharon's encouragement 11 years ago -- single-handedly voided the autonomy enjoyed until then by Kosovo under the wise Tito.

Sharon is also afraid of a precedent. If the Americans and the Europeans interfere today in the matter of Kosovo, what is to prevent them from doing the same tomorrow in the matter of Palestine? Sharon has made it crystal-clear to the world that there is a similarity and perhaps even identity between Milosevic's attitude toward Kosovo and the attitude of Netanyahu and Sharon toward the Palestinians. That is the very reason why at the Foreign Ministry there is anger towards Sharon, their chief, and vehement denials of such allegations.

Behind these slogans, there undoubtedly lies Sharon's wish to be liked by the Russians and to scare off the Americans. Why? Sharon is furious with Clinton and Albright for demonstrating some sympathy for the Palestinians as well, and believes that it would scare the Americans to see Israel going to play on Russian playgrounds. Machiavelli would have died laughing.

But behind all of this, I believe that there is a deep psychological motive. Sharon's and Milosevic's inner worlds have much in common: Nine months before his invasion of Lebanon, Sharon explained to me his intention to expel half a million Palestinian refugees from Lebanon to Syria, where they would be pushed out into Jordan, there to topple King Hussein and establish a Palestinian State in Jordan. (I published this information back in 1981.) The massacre in the refugee camps of Sabra and Shatilla by the Phalangists was intended to lead to just such a mass exodus. (Just as the massacre at Dir Yassin led to the mass flight of Palestinians from Israel.) The State Board of Inquiry put an "indirect responsibility" for the massacre on Sharon and kicked him out of the Ministry of Defence.

By Sharon's own words, he now sees a close connection between Kosovo and Palestine. As such, he is practically inviting international intervention in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. If NATO wins in Yugoslavia -- and for the sake of all of humanity it must win! -- it could be a self-fulfilling prophecy.