Bush backs Gaza pullout, pushes Israel to stop settlement expansion
AFP
Date: 04-11-05
CRAWFORD, United States (AFP) - US President George W. Bush backed Ariel Sharon's plan to withdraw from the Gaza Strip, while urging the Israeli premier to stop all expansion of Jewish settlements in the West Bank under the Mideast peace roadmap.
As the two stood side-by-side outside the US leader's private ranch in Crawford, Texas, Bush praised Sharon for his "strong visionary leadership" in initiating the Gaza withdrawal, known as the disengagement plan.
"I strongly support his courageous initiative to disengage from Gaza and part of the West Bank," he said, referring to the withdrawal of more than 8,000 Jewish settlers from Gaza and four isolated West Bank settlements.
He also urged the Palestinians to coordinate with Israel over the evacuation, which is due to start on July 20.
"The prime minister is willing to coordinate the implementation of the disengagement plan with the Palestinians. I urge the Palestinian leadership to accept his offer," Bush said.
Affirming the internationally drafted roadmap as "the only way forward", Bush urged both parties to comply with the obligations laid down in the peace blueprint.
The president urged the Palestinians to "combat terrorism in all its forms", and took a strong line with Israel, calling on the US ally to live up to its roadmap commitments and not push ahead with plans to expand settlements in the West Bank.
"I told the prime minister of my concern that Israel not undertake any activity that contravenes its roadmap obligations or prejudices final status negotiations," Bush said.
"Therefore Israel should remove unauthorised outposts and meet its roadmap obligations regarding settlements in the West Bank," he said, later driving the point home: "The roadmap clearly says no expansion of settlements."
Reaffirming his commitment to the roadmap as "the only plan which sets the political agenda between us and the Palestinians", Sharon pledged to remove unauthorised outposts, and to meet all commitments with regard to West Bank settlements.
"I will fulfill my commitment to you, Mr President, to remove unauthorized outposts and settlements. Israel will also meet all its obligations under the roadmap," said Sharon.
At the same time, the president again signalled his support for Israel to hold on to large settlement blocs in the West Bank, such as Maale Adumim, where Israeli expansion plans have angered Palestinian leaders and prompted a sharp rebuke from Washington.
Even as Sharon promised to comply with roadmap obligations, he said Israel was keen to see "territorial continguity" between Jerusalem and Maale Adumim, which lies some five kilometres (three miles) east of the Holy City.
"Of course we are very much interested that there will be contiguity between Maaleh Adumim and Jerusalem," he said, describing a long-planned move which would involve taking more Palestinian territory.
As Bush pressed for a return to the roadmap, the Israeli leader made political negotiations under that blueprint conditional on a more muscular Palestinian crackdown on extremists.
"Only after the Palestinians fulfil their obligations, primarily a real fight against terrorism, and the dismantling of the infrastructure, can we proceed towards negotiations based on the roadmap," he said.
Israel's disengagement plan is not officially part of the roadmap, but talks are also expected to examine ways of returning to the peace blueprint later this year.
The Palestinian Authority expressed its satisfaction Monday with Bush's call for a freeze on settlement activity. "We hope that Prime Minister Ariel Sharon will hear the appeal of President Bush to halt settlement activity because to continue would mean destroying the vision of two states," chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat said.
Sharon was making his 10th visit to the United States since Bush came to office in January 2001, but only his first trip to the US leader's private ranch.
Sharon is hoping that the more intimate nature of the summit, emphasizing the close relationship between the two men, will help negate some of the domestic opposition to the Gaza pullout which has left his governing Likud heavily divided.
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